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JANMASHTAMI · FOLK FAIR · RACE COURSERajkot Lokmela
Each Janmashtami, Rajkot's Race Course grounds fill with the Lokmela — one of Saurashtra's biggest folk fairs, a whirl of giant wheels, food stalls, handicrafts and folk performance.
Saurashtra's great Janmashtami fair
The Rajkot Lokmela is the folk fair held on the city’s Race Course grounds over the Janmashtami days, in August or September. One of the largest fairs in Saurashtra, it draws lakhs of visitors to a sprawling ground of giant wheels and rides, food stalls, handicraft and toy sellers, and folk performers. Marking the birth of Lord Krishna, it blends devotion with pure carnival, and has been a fixture of Rajkot life for generations.
A fair for Krishna's birth
The fair is tied to Janmashtami, Krishna's birthday, which falls in August or September and is one of the biggest festivals in Saurashtra.
It is held on Rajkot's Race Course ground, a large open site in the middle of the city that can take the crowds.
What began as a festival fair grew into a full carnival — rides, stalls, folk performance and food across a sprawling ground.
It now draws visitors in the lakhs over its days and is among the largest fairs in Saurashtra.
Why come
Giant wheels
Giant wheels and mechanical rides fill much of the ground, lit up and running late into the night.
Craft stalls
Handicraft and toy sellers work the stalls, many following the Saurashtra fair circuit through the season.
Fair food
Food stalls run the length of the ground, from Kathiawadi snacks to fairground sweets.
Folk shows
Folk performers — dayro singers, garba troupes and musicians — play through the evenings.
Janmashtami
The devotional core is Janmashtami itself, and the temples of the city are as busy as the fairground.
Family fun
It is deliberately for everyone: children on the rides, families eating, and crowds for the performances.
What to see
THE FAIRLokmela
A sprawling fairground of rides, stalls and performance on the Race Course ground.
THE DAYJanmashtami
Janmashtami, Krishna's birthday, which the fair is built around.
How to experience it
Come on Janmashtami
Come over the Janmashtami days, when the fair is at its fullest and the city is on holiday.
Ride the wheels
Go in the evening for the giant wheels, lit and running against the night sky.
Browse the stalls
Walk the craft and toy rows, where much of what is sold is still handmade.
Eat your way
Eat your way along the food stalls — this is fair food at its best in Saurashtra.
Catch a show
Catch the folk performers, who are the reason it is a lokmela and not just a funfair.
Come at night
Expect crowds in the lakhs and plan your transport accordingly; the ground is central and roads clog.
Devotion meets carnival
The Lokmela is where Rajkot’s faith and festivity meet. Timed to Janmashtami, it carries the devotion of Krishna’s birthday into a vast public celebration open to all. Beyond the rides and stalls, it is a showcase of Saurashtra’s folk arts and rural crafts, and a rare occasion when the whole city — families, students, villagers from around — gathers on one ground for days of shared joy.
This is one of many places worth seeing here — the full guide to Rajkot has the rest.
Timing
August or September, over the Janmashtami days — the only time the fair runs.
October to February is the pleasant season in Rajkot if you are visiting the city outside fair time.
April to June is hot and dry across Saurashtra, and there is no shade on the Race Course ground.
⏰ The Lokmela runs over the Janmashtami days (August–September); evenings are the liveliest time to come.
Getting there
By Air
Rajkot airport.
By Rail
Rajkot Junction.
By Road
Race Course, city.
More in Rajkot
HERITAGE
Gandhi’s Rajkot
Rajkot raised the Mahatma. In Kaba Gandhi no Delo, his family home, and the halls of Alfred High School, the city preserves the boyhood of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi. Explore →
FOLK
Saurashtra Arts
From the dayro’s storytelling to bhajans sung deep into the night, Rajkot is the heart of Saurashtra’s folk arts — a living tradition of song, music, craft and handloom. Explore →
FOOD
Farsan Culture
Rajkot snacks like nowhere else. From ganthiya and chevdo to fafda and the famous Rajkot penda, the city is a byword for Kathiyawadi farsan. Explore →
What to eat
FAIRMela Snacks
From the stalls.
FARSANGanthiya
Rajkot classic.
SWEETRajkot Penda
Rich milk sweet.
CHAASChaas
Spiced buttermilk.
Rajkot Lokmela FAQ
What is the Rajkot Lokmela?
A large folk fair held on Rajkot's Race Course grounds over the Janmashtami days, with rides, stalls and folk performances.
When is it held?
During Janmashtami, which falls in August or September.
Where is it?
On the Race Course grounds in the heart of Rajkot city.
What can I do there?
Ride giant wheels, browse handicraft and food stalls, and watch folk performances.
Is it good for families?
Yes — it is a family favourite, especially in the evenings.
How big is it?
It is one of the biggest fairs in the Saurashtra region, drawing huge crowds.
Across Gujarat
GARDENValley of Flowers
A riverside garden in bloom below the statue
LANDMARKSuspension Bridge
A historic hanging bridge over the Machchhu
RIVERGhela River
Sacred ghats flowing past Gadhada
GANDHIMahatma Gandhi Museum
Where young Mohandas Gandhi studied
RIVERMahi River
The broad, sacred river of the district
JYOTIRLINGANageshwar
One of the twelve sacred Shiva Jyotirlingas
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Published 24 June 2026 · Updated 3 July 2026