With the “Ganesh Pratisthapan” at the Nehru Stadium the Pune Festival begins. The festival has several performances one followed after another which continues for two weeks. World famous artists who have excelled in their field of art come here to perform Vocal Recitals, Instrumental Concerts, Dance, Lokatal Lavani Mahotsav, Urdu Mushaira, Marathi & Hindi Hasya Kavi Samelan., Lokanatya, Single Act plays, Maharashtrian Women plays, Mahila Mahotsav, Marathi-Gujarathi-Hindi-English-Sindhi Drama, Marathi Orchestra’s, Gujarathi Dairo, Kerala Mahotsav, Maharashtra Lokhadhara, Ganapathy painting exhibition, Mime & Mimicry, and Magic Show. The festival also focuses on several competitions like Recipe Competition, Flower Decoration, Clean-Slum Competition, Vintage car rally, Water Sports, Motocross, Body Building, Ashtavinayak Rally, Skating Competition, Bicycle Competition, Golf Competition, Trekking, Malla Kambh, Yoga, Bullock Cart race. A seminar is also held on promoting tourism in Maharashtra and India.
The Pune festival has become the “Pride of Pune”, with renowned artists like Pt. Bhimsen Joshi, Pt. Ravi Shankar, Balmurali Krishnan, Pt. Hari Prasad Chaurasia, Ustad Bismillah Khan, Ustad Amjad Ali Khan, Pt. Shiv Kumar Sharma, Pt. Vishwa Mohan Bhatt, Kishori Amonkar, Jagjit Singh, Anuradha Paudwal, Udit Narayan, Kavita Krishnamurti, Kalyanji-Anandji, Nitin Mukesh, Alka Yagnik, Gurdas Mann, Remo, Shaimak Davar, performed in this festival.
