Ooty Summer Festival 2019

Ooty is one of the most sought after tourist destinations in Tamil Nadu. Now, as the summers are knocking at the door, the world famous Ooty summer festival is also about to start. This festival is being held for over 120 years now. Each year, it is organised by the Government of Tamil Nadu in the month of May in the Botanical Gardens. The festival attracts a large number of tourists every year from around the world.

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During the summer season, the little town dazzles with the pomp and show of this festival. The festival features fairs, carnivals, flower, vegetable and spice shows, and many cultural events, which are hosted by the horticulture department. This festival is a must visit during the summer in the city of Ooty.

Special shows organised during the summer festival of Ooty

Flower Show

It is the pride of the summer festival that is held at the Botanical garden for three days. It is organised to showcase the best in garden design, flower sculptures, authentic and modern floral craftsmanship. Different varieties of flowers, fruits and vegetables, and several images of animals and birds are decorated with flowers in this show. These are not just Indian species of flowers but flowers from across the world that are presented in this show. You can witness more than 15000 potted plants and 3,00,000 flower saplings of various varieties. The garden looks like a paradise on earth at this time. The flower show is usually held for 3 days and the dates may vary every year. You can get the tickets of the flower show directly from the horticulture department website or the ticket counter of the garden, but there will be a long queue. You need a minimum half day to enjoy the festival.

Spice show

It showcases a variety of spices, herbs and the magic of Ooty plantations. The Spice Show is what marks the beginning of the Ooty Summer Festival every year. It is one of the most exciting festivals to attract visitors. Whether you are a foodie or not, this exhibition is worth visiting. The aroma of spices will surely please you. The decorations made out of the spices are also outstanding. In the year 2013, the five-foot structure of Taj Mahal built from the 11 different spices was a crowd puller. More than 5 kg of spices were used to build the structure.

Vegetable Show

As the name suggests, this show displays different vegetables. It showcases a variety of plantations in Ooty. It is held at Kotagiri every year in May for two days during the summer festival. Some amazing structures that are created by using vegetables are the show stealers.

Ooty Rose Show 2018

With about 30,000 rose plants of around 4,000 varieties, this event is a show stopper of Ooty summer festival. It is also held every year at the Rose Garden in Ooty. You can witness more than 300 varieties of roses in this show. You will be amazed to see the rose towers made up of thousands of roses to rangolis made with rose petals. This event is worth checking out if you’re a nature admirer or a photography enthusiast.

Other activities in the summer festival

Boat Races

Many Boat Races and Boat Pageantry are organised during this event. These races are an attraction for tourists and also a chance to win attractive gifts and prizes. People who love adventurous water sports must visit this beautiful place. These activities make the summer festival the most memorable one.

Classical art exhibitions

Along with the paintings, the handcrafted bags, purses, jewellery, clothes are also available in these exhibitions. You can buy them as a souvenir or to gift to your friends and family.

Mariamman Temple Festival

The famous Ooty Mariamman Temple Festival is held in April every year. It is located near the market in Ooty. Mariamman is known as the Goddess of Rain, who yields the power to heal diseases, such as measles, smallpox and chicken pox. Thousands of devotees visit the temple premises on the day of this festival and the entire hill station wears a festive look. You can also see the devotees walking barefoot over burning coal on this day, as a mark of their devotion.

Apart from these shows and festivals, tourists can enjoy various other things too like local sightseeing of the city and tasting various food specialties from south India and other cuisines. If you are planning to visit Ooty in the month of February, you can witness the Thaipoosam in Elk Hill Murugan Temple as well.

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How to reach Ooty

By air:

Coimbatore Airport is the closest airport to Ooty. It connects this hill station with the rest of the country via an extensive network of flights. You can also fly to the Bangalore airport and hire a taxi or bus to Ooty.

By road:

The city is well connected with state and national highways. Tamil Nadu State Road Transport Corporation (TNSTC) buses and some private buses also run in the city from various cities like Bangalore, Chennai and Mysore.

By train:

Mettupalayam is the nearest railway station which is 40 km from Ooty. Several trains run from nearby cities like Chennai, Coimbatore, Mysore and Bangalore for Mettupalayam railway station. Heritage Nilgiri mountain toy train is an exciting way of travelling to Ooty.

Ooty is at its best during summer, offering a wide variety of festivals and events besides pleasant weather. So, pack your bags and get ready to be enchanted by this picturesque city in summers. You may also book your tickets and book hotels online to get the best deals and discounts. Happy holidays!

Summer Festivals in Ooty