Pakyong, March 15 : After a gap of several years, the Lampokhari Lake Festival is finally making a comeback, and the excitement around Aritar is already building up.
The Aritar–Dalapchand Lampokhari Lake Tourism Development Society (ADLDS) kicked things off last Saturday with its first coordination meeting, held right at the picnic ground next to the lake. SDM of Rongli, Suren Kumar Pradhan, chaired the meeting and made one thing clear — this festival isn’t just an event on a calendar. It belongs to the people living around it, and their involvement will make or break it.
After the meeting wrapped up, ADLDS president Lalit Rai, general secretary Bibek Rai, and advisor Canny Gurung spoke to the press and confirmed the dates: March 27 and 28 for the two-day 13th edition of the festival. They also shared some encouraging news — the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India has given its in-principle approval, and the Tourism and Civil Aviation Department of the Sikkim government is backing the event as well.
This year, the festival will run under the theme “Promoting Agro Tourism.” Local farmers will get dedicated stalls to display and sell their organic produce — a genuine attempt to weave sustainable agriculture into the tourism experience, rather than treating it as an afterthought.
Cultural performances have always been a soul of this festival, and that tradition continues. Communities from across Sikkim will take the stage with their traditional dances. There’s also a traditional fashion show planned, where local models and school students will walk in the attire of different Sikkimese communities — a thoughtful way to keep cultural heritage alive and visible.
Canny Gurung filled in some of the backstory for those wondering why the festival went quiet. It ran every year from 2006 to 2018, then hit a rough patch — COVID-19 came along, election cycles disrupted planning, and things just stalled. Now, with a freshly reconstituted committee, the team is determined to bring it back properly.
The action actually begins a day early. On March 26, a marathon for both men and women will get the momentum going. Then on the evening of March 27, after the first day’s events wrap up, there’ll be a musical night with guest artists to close things out with some energy.
The coordination meeting also saw the unveiling of the official logo of the 13th edition — a small but meaningful moment for the organising team.
The committee expressed their gratitude to their chief patron, area MLA and Minister for Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services Puran Kumar Gurung, whose continued backing has been important to making this revival happen.
On March 28, the focus shifts toward business. A dedicated interaction session will bring homestay and resort owners together with tour and travel agencies from Darjeeling, Siliguri, and nearby towns — a practical step toward getting local tourism players to actually talk to each other and build something sustainable together.
The organisers are optimistic. Aritar and Dalapchand have no shortage of natural and cultural attractions, and after years of waiting, they believe this festival’s return could genuinely open new doors — for tourism, for local livelihoods, and for the community’s pride in what it has.
