Beyond paragliding: Explore culture and music at Bir Music Festival in Himachal Pradesh

Discover new music at Bir Music Festival, featuring sustainable practices, live performances, and a variety of experiences. Book now!

As a music enthusiast, seeking new artists and music genres in a sea of digital audio space could be tad overwhelming. A lifetime is not enough to discover all sounds, but you could start your journey from Bir Music Festival (BMF). 

Its 10th edition will celebrate original music, accompanied by experiences like a cyclothon, star gazing, yoga, art workshops, and more. 

“Bir is Asia’s largest paragliding destination, but that’s not all there is to this village. It has a rich culture and we, as a community of artistes, are coming together to promote it,” says Alakhananda Sharma, founder, BMF, adding that the festival originated in 2020 after the pandemic. It has been hosted twice or thrice a year, sometimes in other cities, as a way to promote tourism in the village.

BMF is completely sustainable festival. “Even the stage of the festival is made from bamboos and the sheds in the venue are made from discarded and donated clothes,” says Alakhananda. 

“Across the previous nine seasons, we have hosted over 300 artistes from across the country,” she adds. This edition will play host to Indie band Agnee among several other lesser-known bands and musicians, like DIY Disruption, a Kerala based rock band,Rajasthani classical and ghazal singer Prakhar Jojan, and Likhari, a poet from Delhi.

The festival does not play recorded or electronic music on both its stages. “Our music is 100% live, and everyone plays and performs their original compositions,” says Alakhananda.

The music plays non-stop for 56 hours, the festival’s duration. It houses both, performing artistes and visitors. Tickets cover accommodation and meals. However, day passes, which allow entry into the festival, are available exclusively for the residents of Himachal Pradesh.