In August, Keylong in the Lahaul-Spiti district hosted the first eco-friendly and waste-free state-level Tribal Festival 2025 in Himachal Pradesh. The festival was held at Keylong’s Police Ground from August 14 to August 16. Under the direction of Deputy Commissioner Kiran Bhadana, the district administration of Lahaul and Spiti arranged the three-day event with the goals of promoting sustainability, minimising environmental impact, and enhancing community involvement while exhibiting cultural heritage.

The Government of Himachal Pradesh, the North Zone Cultural Centre, TRIFED (Tribes of India), and the Ministry of Tribal Affairs supported the event. With zero-waste and green practices, this year’s event set a new standard for ecologically responsible public gatherings in the face of climate change concerns. Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu attended the festival and served at its virtual inauguration. He explained the festival’s significance by saying, “Lahaul is a symbol of how sustainable development and heritage preservation can coexist, in addition to being a place of unparalleled beauty and cultural richness. An excellent illustration of a forward-thinking, ecologically sensitive Himachal Pradesh is the eco-friendly “Tribal Festival 2025”.

The festival’s environmental sustainability attracted attention. Reusable water stations, biodegradable cutlery, a total prohibition on single-use plastic, and waste segregation by Swachhata volunteers were all part of it. According to an official statement, these efforts not only lessened the festival’s environmental impact but also provided a template for similar events in the future in the state. With performances by well-known musicians like the Firdaus Band, Rosy Sharma, folk vocalist Faisal Ashoor, and the Da Shugs Band from Ladakh, the event was a lively celebration of Lahaul and Spiti’s rich cultural history. While pageants like Tribal Queen, Tribal King, and Grihalakshmi promoted empowerment and highlighted the region’s cultural richness, traditional dances like Jabro and Chabskyan captivated the audience.

In order to promote community involvement and engagement, the festival also featured sports tournaments, yoga classes, planting drives, and cleanliness projects. Through indigenous crafts, music, food, and art forms, the festival highlighted the region’s distinct tribal culture while reducing its environmental impact through eco-friendly techniques.

In mountainous areas like Himachal Pradesh, where tourism and cultural events are essential to the local economy and identity, the tourism department is raising awareness of the importance of embracing sustainability, according to the statement. One of India’s most secluded and breathtaking landscapes is still Lahaul and Spiti. In India, the district of Lahaul and Spiti has the fourth-lowest population.