Islamabad is hosting its biggest family weekend of the year. The Pakistan Tourism, Sports and Family Festival 2026 is under way at the Pakistan Sports Complex, with three days of adventure sports, music, food and culture — and organisers expect around 150,000 people to pass through the gates before it closes on Sunday.
The second edition of the festival opened on Friday 6 November and runs until Sunday 8 November. Entry is free, and the programme spreads across the Pakistan Sports Complex, F-9 Park and the Margalla Hills, giving families a full weekend of things to see and do without leaving the capital.
Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal inaugurated the festival on Friday, accompanied by Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC) Managing Director Aftab-ur-Rehman Rana. The opening day featured cultural stalls representing every province, traditional food, handicrafts made by artisans from across the country, and products from well-known Pakistani brands.
A Festival Taking Over Islamabad This Weekend
The festival was announced on 25 October by Sardar Yasir Ilyas Khan, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Tourism, at a ceremony at the Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry, where the Chamber and the PTDC signed a memorandum of understanding to organise and promote the event together.
Organisers are hoping for around 150,000 visitors over the three days, which would make it one of the largest public gatherings in the capital this year. The first edition, held on 31 January and 1 February this year at the Jinnah Sports Complex and F-9 Park, drew thousands of families along with diplomatic representatives from several countries, and closed with a grand musical concert and fireworks.
This year’s edition scales that template up: three full days instead of two, a bigger crowd, and a programme designed to keep every age group busy from morning to evening.
Paragliding, Tent Pegging and Hot Air Balloons
Saturday 7 November is the festival’s sports and culture day, and its programme is the most action-packed of the three. A professional cycling competition runs from 8:00 AM to 10:30 AM along the route from the Pak China Friendship Centre to the end of 7th Avenue and back, while the tent pegging event kicks off at 10:00 AM at F-9 Park.
Tent pegging, one of Pakistan’s oldest equestrian sports, brings riders at full gallop to spear targets from the saddle, and it is one of the festival’s headline attractions. A double-decker bus safari runs from 12:00 PM to 3:30 PM at the Pakistan Sports Complex, and a car show competition is also on the day’s schedule.
Adventure seekers can watch paragliding demonstrations throughout the day, with flights running from Monal in the Margalla Hills down to the Shalimar Cricket Ground, and try rock climbing at the complex. Hot air balloons rising over the grounds add colour to the skyline, and the day closes with cultural performances and evening celebrations.
Food, Crafts and Culture From Every Province
The festival’s cultural heart is its provincial stalls, which bring the heritage, traditions, lifestyles, cuisines and handicrafts of every province into one ground. Stalls displaying traditional Pakistani food, products of renowned brands and handicrafts made by artisans from across the country are among the major attractions, according to the Associated Press of Pakistan.
For visitors, the appeal is simple: the flavours and sounds of the whole country in a single place. Family entertainment runs throughout the three days, with cultural performances on stage, a food street, and stalls where craft sellers and small businesses can reach thousands of customers in a single weekend.
The festival continues on Sunday 8 November with its finale day, including a family and kids run and ride at 2:00 PM, before the closing musical evenings, flying lanterns and fireworks bring the three days to an end.
Why the Festival Matters for Pakistan’s Tourism
For the government, the festival is about more than a good weekend. Speaking at the inauguration, Ahsan Iqbal said Pakistan had vast opportunities in tourism, and that the hospitality of its people distinguished the country internationally. He said tourism would serve as an important pillar in achieving the vision of transforming Pakistan into a one trillion dollar economy by 2035, and stressed better coordination among the provinces for promoting tourism and sports.
Sardar Yasir Ilyas Khan has described reviving tourism as a collective responsibility and a powerful way of replacing disappointment with happiness, hope and economic opportunities. He has also proposed engaging Pakistan’s diplomatic missions abroad to invite international content creators to the festival, so they can showcase the country’s tourism attractions and cultural richness to global audiences.
The business community sees a direct benefit too. Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Mohammad Zikria Akbar Zia has said Pakistan possesses exceptional tourism potential extending far beyond the capital, particularly in the northern areas, including Swat, Chitral, Gilgit and Skardu, and has called for better air connectivity, tourism infrastructure and international outreach to attract more visitors, particularly from Arab countries.
The festival also extends a year of real momentum for the sector, which has already seen the Pakistan Travel Mart 2026 bring more than 250 exhibitors from 20 countries to Karachi in April.
Free Entry and How to Plan Your Visit
General entry to the festival is free, and the grounds are open from 11 AM to 10 PM. All events take place at the Pakistan Sports Complex in Islamabad, except paragliding, which operates from Monal to the Shalimar Cricket Ground, and the tent pegging competition, which is held at F-9 Park.
Visitors are advised to check the festival’s official website before setting out, as schedules, venue arrangements and activity availability may change due to operational, weather or safety considerations. The festival’s own guidance asks visitors to confirm the latest updates before attending.
Islamabad has a second big event today as well: PlayFest takes over the Pakistan National Council of the Arts on 7 November from 12:00 PM to 10:00 PM, with live performances by Bilal Saeed, Zoha Waseem and Afusic, alongside food, games and family activities.
For families in and around the capital, though, the main draw is the tourism festival itself: three November days of adventure sports, music, crafts and food at the Pakistan Sports Complex, and a chance to see the whole country in one ground — before the gates close on Sunday evening.
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