Nestled in the terraced rice fields of Arunachal Pradesh, the Ziro Festival of Music has quietly become India’s most beloved eco-conscious indie festival — intimate, community-led, and fiercely curated. For 2025, the festival returns to Ziro Valley for four days of live music, cultural exchange, and hands-on creative programming. Below you’ll find the confirmed artist line-up, the festival’s workshop and residency offerings, practical details (tickets, permits, and travel), and a quick guide to planning your trip. All information below is drawn from the festival’s official announcements and trusted reporting.
Ziro Festival: Key Facts At A Glance
- Dates: 25–28 September 2025 (four-day festival).
- Venue: Ziro Valley (Biiri / Laye Lambo areas near Hapoli), Arunachal Pradesh.
- Tickets: Single-day and 4-day passes available (4-day passes and day rates listed on ticket pages). Typical published pricing for single days and the 4-day pass has been circulated in festival guides.
- Permits: Indian visitors from outside Arunachal Pradesh need an Inner Line Permit (ILP); foreign visitors may need additional clearances — check official state/ festival guidance before travel.
The Confirmed 2025 Artist Line-Up (Highlights)
The festival’s official line-up page and partner listings name a wide cross-section of Indian, Northeastern, and international acts — from veteran folk artists to experimental electronic projects. Headline and notable acts confirmed for 2025 include:
- Anna Erhard (international singer-songwriter)
- Barmer Boys (folk/roots from Rajasthan)
- Buried Treasures (experimental/ambient project)
- Chorun Mugli (local/regionally rooted act)
- Chowraasta
- Da Minot (Meghalaya)
- Donn Bhat
- Dualist Inquiry (electronic/rock crossover)
- Enfierce (US-based ensemble)
- Ford Trio (international/world music presence)
- Gauley Bhai (Bengaluru act)
- Guitar Prasanna (guitar virtuoso)
- Larger Than 90 (Meghalaya)
- Niil (Assam)
- Pandit Abhay Rustum Sopori (classical string maestro)
- Pink Eye (Nagaland)
- Remi Remi, Rudy Mukta, Saitejas Chandrashekar, Shilpa Rao, and several more regional discoveries and independent staples.
Note: The festival is curated to highlight Northeast talent alongside pan-Indian and select international names; smaller, surprise or pop-up sets and collaborations are a frequent feature of the schedule. For spot timings and day-wise artist slots, consult the official festival schedule when it’s published.
Workshops, Residencies, And Creative Programming
Ziro has long positioned itself as more than a concert – its workshops and residencies are a core part of the magic. The festival’s community and creative programme for 2025 includes:
- Sustainable Residency Workshop: an ongoing residency model where artists and local artisans collaborate on sustainability projects — working with locally-sourced waste materials, bamboo craft, and eco-design practices.
- Music masterclasses & instrument workshops: sessions led by visiting musicians (guitar, voice, traditional instruments, electronic production), often interactive and aimed at local youth and visiting musicians.
- Community-led craft and storytelling sessions: indigenous craft demonstrations, Apatani cultural exchanges, and workshops that encourage cross-cultural learning.
- Open calls for workshop leaders: the festival invites creators, teachers, and artists to apply to host workshops – expect hands-on sessions across daytime hours (check the festival’s workshop page or social channels for an updated timetable).
Workshops are typically daytime activities (leaving evenings free for performances) and are often free or low-cost for ticket holders; priority or sign-ups may be required due to limited seats.
Daily Schedule & Stages (What To Expect)
Ziro usually runs multiple stages across the valley (main stage, experimental/ambient tents, and local stages near village clusters). Typical festival hours run roughly 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM with late-night community jams or after-parties depending on the year’s programming. Expect a mix of full-band headline sets, acoustic discovery slots, electronic live sets, and collaborative pop-ups. Exact daily stage times are published closer to the festival and in the on-site programme.
Travel, Tickets, And Practical Tips
- Permits: Obtain the Inner Line Permit (ILP) if you are an Indian citizen travelling from outside Arunachal Pradesh; international visitors should check visa/permit requirements well ahead of travel.
- Getting there: Most visitors fly into Guwahati (Assam) and travel overland by taxi/coach to Ziro (arrange onward transport in advance — roads are mountainous and travel times vary). Local tour operators and festival partners often offer package transfers.
- Tickets & camping: Day passes and 4-day passes are sold via official ticketing partners; separate campsite bookings may be required (festival camps vs. private camp operators). Bring warm layers — nights can get chilly.
- Cash & essentials: ATMs are limited; carry cash for food stalls and local purchases. Respect local culture — Ziro is hosted in Apatani territory, and eco-sensitivity (no single-use plastics, responsible waste disposal) is stressed.
Sustainability, Community, And What Makes Ziro Special
Ziro’s identity is built on low-impact curation: stages constructed with local materials, community employment, and workshops that feed back into local skill development. The festival’s close relationship with the Apatani community gives attendees access to indigenous arts, food, and cultural exchanges in ways larger commercial festivals seldom replicate. If you’re attending, plan to engage respectfully, support local vendors, and follow the festival’s sustainability guidelines.
Summing Up
Ziro Festival 2025 promises the feel that has made the event legendary: a carefully curated mix of regional talent and guest artists, daytime workshops that encourage participation and learning, and an intimate, eco-conscious setting that makes the music feel at one with the place. If you plan to go, secure your tickets early, sort permit paperwork (ILP) in advance, and block extra travel time for the mountain roads. For the up-to-the-minute schedule (set times, workshop sign-ups, and campsite bookings) check the festival’s official site and social channels – they will publish the daily timetable and workshop roster ahead of the dates.
