Basant 2027 in Lahore: 10 days from 29 January to 7 February, no kites on 5 February

Basant 2027 in Lahore will run for 10 days, from Friday 29 January to Sunday 7 February 2027. Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz approved the schedule on Wednesday 30 September 2026, with one break: no kite flying on 5 February, Kashmir Solidarity Day. That makes nine flying days, against three in February 2026.

The new dates replace the ones the chief minister gave in August, when she marked 12 to 14 March 2027 for the basant festival. The March plan is now off the calendar.

What was announced

• Dates: 29 January to 7 February 2027, pause on 5 February.
• City: Lahore. Other districts have not been given dates.
• Instruction to officials: the chief minister asked for better safety and public convenience arrangements than at the February 2026 festival, Dawn reported.

The 2026 festival was the first legal Basant in Lahore in 18 years, after a ban in 2007 over deaths and injuries from sharp string. Geo News reported that about 2 million people used the free transport laid on for it and about 1 million vehicles came into Punjab for the celebrations.

The rules still apply

Kite flying in Punjab is only legal inside a permitted window, under the kite flying regulation law the Punjab Assembly passed on 24 December 2025. Outside it, or with banned material, the penalties are heavy:

• Metal wire, nylon string and glass or chemical coated string are banned outright.
• Flying a kite without permission: 3 to 5 years in jail, a fine of up to Rs 2 million, or both.
• Making or selling kites or banned string: 5 to 7 years, or a fine of up to Rs 5 million.
• Selling without registration: 1 to 5 years, a fine, or both. Makers and sellers must register with the deputy commissioner, who has 10 days to verify and issues a certificate valid for one year.
• Children: cases go under the Juvenile Justice System Act 2018, and unpaid fines can be recovered from parents.

Safety rules notified in May 2026 for the 2027 festival require rooftop boundary walls of at least 3.5 feet, ban overcrowded roofs, DJ systems and loud music, and say children must be supervised by an adult. Building owners must comply by 30 December.

What it means for you

• Motorcyclists: string across roads remains the biggest risk. Fit a safety rod or antenna to your bike before late January and slow down in the old city.
• Roof bookings: with nine flying days instead of three, rooftop and haveli bookings in the Walled City should spread out, but check that any roof you book meets the 3.5-foot wall rule.
• Buy only from registered sellers, and only cotton thread. A seller who cannot show a DC registration certificate is breaking the law, and so are you if you fly what they sell.
• Travelling in: if you are driving to Lahore for the weekend of 30 and 31 January, compare the cost with our fuel cost calculator and today's petrol price.

We will add the detailed 2027 arrangements, including transport and permitted areas, to this page as the Punjab government notifies them.