NEW DELHI: SARAS Food Festival 2026 is scheduled at Sunder Nursery Heritage Park from 21 November to 8 December. The Ministry of Rural Development's calendar and the venue's own event page agree on the dates. Sunder Nursery says entry to the event is free, but its park admission ticket still applies, an important distinction for anyone planning a family food outing.
The ministry announced the eighteen day festival in its 24 April 2026 calendar release. The separate Sunder Nursery listing identifies the venue and admission arrangement. Neither should be confused with the SARAS Aajeevika Mela held earlier at Leisure Valley Park in Gurugram.
| Question | Verified information |
|---|---|
| Delhi festival dates | 21 November to 8 December 2026 |
| Venue | Sunder Nursery Heritage Park, Nizamuddin |
| Festival entry | Free, according to the venue |
| Park entry | Separate park ticket applies |
| Organiser | Ministry of Rural Development |
| Focus | Regional cuisine, rural women entrepreneurs, crafts and culture |
SARAS Food Festival 2026 dates, venue and timings
The scheduled opening is Saturday, 21 November, and the closing date is Tuesday, 8 December. The ministry's calendar places the festival in New Delhi, between its Gurugram mela and a later national SARAS event. For this outing, use the Sunder Nursery address near Humayun's Tomb in Nizamuddin, rather than searching for the earlier Gurugram grounds.
The venue's festival page does not specify daily food stall opening and closing times. Park hours are not necessarily stall hours. Check the latest event information before choosing an early morning or late evening visit, especially if the festival is the main reason for travelling. A park being open does not establish that every food counter is operating.
There is also a difference within the park website's general timing information: a summary refers to a 9 pm last entry, while its FAQ refers to 9.30 pm. Because the event page does not resolve that difference or publish stall hours, this guide does not present either last entry time as a confirmed festival cutoff.
Is SARAS Food Festival free, and what does the park charge?
The event listing explicitly separates free festival entry from paid park entry. On the official visitor page, reviewed on 8 November 2026 at 22:53 IST, the general admission rates are Rs 50 for Indian citizens, Rs 200 for foreign nationals and Rs 25 for children aged five to twelve. Its FAQ also lists Rs 25 for senior citizens.
The FAQ lists free park entry for children below five and differently abled people. Verify any applicable category and identification requirement before the visit. These are the general park terms displayed at the time of review; the festival statement does not say that meals, crafts or other purchases are included with admission.
For a group, calculate entry according to the people attending and keep spending on food separate. The park FAQ says it does not offer a group entry discount. It also does not list a special school or college student concession. A group planning an organised activity should check the venue's separate permission rules.
What can visitors expect at the Delhi food festival?
Sunder Nursery describes regional cuisines from different states, stalls selling handcrafted goods and cultural performances. The ministry places SARAS events under the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana National Rural Livelihoods Mission, providing a platform for rural self help groups and artisans to reach urban consumers.
That is the event's distinguishing feature: visitors encounter food and products associated with rural enterprises, including women led businesses. The ministry describes direct interaction with urban consumers as one objective. It does not provide a confirmed 2026 menu, a dish by dish price list or a complete daily performance programme in the calendar release.
Choose food at the stall after checking ingredients, portion size and the displayed charge. Anyone avoiding a particular ingredient should ask about it before ordering. These are practical visitor questions, rather than claims that a particular cuisine, chef or menu item has already been confirmed for every day of the festival.
Getting to Sunder Nursery and following the park rules
The park's visitor page locates it near Humayun's Tomb and lists Jawahar Lal Nehru, Jangpura and Khan Market stations on the Violet Line among the Metro options. It says Metro stations are around two to three kilometres from the park. Plan the remaining journey instead of assuming the festival is immediately outside a station exit.
The same page says the park is wheelchair accessible except for its wilderness zone and lower monument plinths. It describes wheelchairs available at the ticket counter without a hire charge on submission of valid original identification. Confirm availability and the route to the event area if this assistance is needed.
The park guidelines prohibit single use plastic, smoking and alcohol. Visitors should use pathways, keep out of water features and take responsibility for litter. Organising activities or bringing tripods, props or decorative setups requires prior permission; ordinary attendance at an advertised festival is a different activity.
For other outings, compare the Pushkar Fair date guide and Dev Deepawali travel checks. The November holiday explainer can help with leave planning, while the venue's current notice remains the source for this festival's admission and programme.
