Matsya Festival 2026 is listed for 25 and 26 November in Alwar, Rajasthan, in the state tourism department’s official festival calendar. The current fairs and festivals page gives the same dates. The dates provide a useful starting point for a visit, but the department’s older detailed festival page should not be used as a timetable for this year.
| Planning point | Verified information |
|---|---|
| Festival | Matsya Festival, also spelled Matasya in the calendar |
| Dates | 25 and 26 November 2026 |
| Destination | Alwar, Rajasthan |
| Programme | Confirm the current event timetable separately |
What are the official Matsya Festival 2026 dates?
The 2024 to 2030 festival calendar has a specific 2026 column, with the Matsya entry on 25 and 26 November. The current tourism listing also identifies the event as Matsya Festival 2026. Reading both helps avoid a common problem with search results: a page may describe the right festival while carrying an old year’s programme.
That problem is visible on the tourism department’s separate Matsya detail page. It contains a schedule explicitly dated November 2018, with named venues, activities and clock times. Those entries are historical material. They cannot establish that the same performances, competitions or sessions will take place at those times in 2026. Travellers should seek a current programme before organising a day around any individual event.
The present festival description highlights processions, cultural performances, sporting events and art exhibitions. It frames the celebration around Alwar’s traditions and regional culture. These are descriptions of the festival’s character, rather than a confirmed order of events for each day. No precise 2026 performance time or admission price is being supplied here because the pages checked do not establish one.
What can you see in Alwar around the festival?
Alwar’s heritage attractions offer a reason to leave space beyond the festival itself. The tourism department describes the City Palace as a blend of Rajputana and Islamic architecture, with marble pavilions in its courtyard. It also makes clear that the former palace now accommodates government offices. A building’s appearance in a tourism guide does not mean every room is open as a visitor attraction.
The Government Museum is a more specific stop for collections. Its official description mentions rare manuscripts, Ragamala paintings, miniatures and armoury displays across three halls. The page lists the ticket window from 9.45 am to 4.45 pm. Treat that as the published museum window, checked on 5 November 2026, and reconfirm operating arrangements before a festival visit rather than assuming the evening celebration extends museum access.
Moosi Maharani ki Chhatri offers a different architectural setting. The department describes a lower section of red sandstone and an upper section with marble pavilions and domed arches. The nearby Sagar water body has steps and towers. These details help distinguish a heritage walk from an evening performance plan: the places may complement a festival trip without being confirmed venues for a particular 2026 event.
Is Bala Qila open during Matsya Festival?
The official Alwar destination page carries a temporary closure notice for tourist entry to Bala Qila, alongside general fort and safari timings. The closure warning is the useful planning detail. Published routine hours alone should not be treated as confirmation of access. Check with the tourism or local administration office before adding the fort to a fixed itinerary.
The same page discusses Siliserh Lake, southwest of Alwar, and describes the former hunting palace that is now an RTDC hotel. It also describes boating at the lake. Festival participation, boating availability and hotel access are separate arrangements. An old programme mentioning a lake activity does not prove that a visitor can attend it this year without checking the current organiser’s instructions.
Sariska is another distinct excursion rather than an activity to squeeze automatically between festival sessions. The official destination information notes that forest entry is closed on Wednesdays. The festival’s first listed date, 25 November 2026, falls on a Wednesday. Anyone considering a combined trip should verify the reserve’s current booking and closure arrangements instead of assuming both destinations follow one common calendar.
What should visitors confirm before travelling?
Begin with the dated festival calendar, then ask for the current programme, venue list and any entry conditions. If an announcement gives a ticket requirement, use the organiser’s official route. Keep transport and accommodation decisions separate from unconfirmed claims about free entry or a particular performer. The tourism pages checked here do not establish a complete 2026 ticket or traffic plan.
For a workable visit, choose a small group of heritage stops and leave room for the announced festival programme. Check whether each attraction is actually admitting visitors, and account for its published closing time. That approach is particularly useful in Alwar, where a museum, a government office complex, a closed fort and a lake each have different access considerations.
Related reading: Pushkar Fair dates, Bundi Festival planning, Chandrabhaga Fair in Jhalrapatan.
