There is a sobriety, but no less joy, when Lohri or Maghi comes along in mid-January. Community bonfires, folk songs and dancing mark the festival
Winter Carnival is also held this month. Gochi in the Bhaga valley is an unusual festival when the villagers celebrate the birth of male children. The Baba Barbhag Singh Mela is held in Una and honours this sage who was renowned for his magical powers. Basant Panchmi marks the arrival of spring in the lower areas and every town seems to keep a reserve of colour for the occasion and the skies are filled with a medley of kites. Lossar is celebrated in Buddhist areas throughout the state.
Centered around the temple of Trilokinath, Char is celebrated in Lahaul. The town of Mandi with its ancient temples revels in the Shivratri fair for a whole week. In the third week of March, the fascinating Nalwari fair is held at Bilaspur. Cattle is traded, there are wrestling bouts and aero and water sports shows are recent additions
Baisakhi is one of Himachal's most important festivals. Rooted in the rural agrarian tradition, it bids a final farewell to winter. In April, Rali with its clay models is marked in Kangra. At Chamba, the Sui Mela is thronged by women and children and at the village of Taraur in district Mandi, the Mahu Nag fair is held. The holy Markandaya fair is held near Bilaspur and the Rohru Jatar is held in honour of the deity, Shikhru.
Focused around the goddess Hadimba Devi, Kullu celebrates the Dhoongri fair. In the same district, the Banjar fair and the Sarhi Jatar are held in May. Near Shimla at the exquisite glade of Sipur below Mashobra, the charming Sipi fair is held.
The Kangra festival is also held in June at Kangra. At Solan, on the third sunday of the month, the Solan fair honours the goddess Shilooni, the presiding deity of the region. On June's full moon night, the Ghantal festival is held at Lahaul's guru Ghantal monastery.
e alive as traders barter and sell a variety of goods and produce. At Keylong, the Lahaul festival is also held this month. Shravana Sankranti is celebrated at Nahan; at Arki, buffalo fights mark the Sair fair and conducted in honour of Banar devta of Shari, the Rampur Jatar is held near Jubbal in district Shimla.
Chamba's famous Minjar fair which celebrates the bounty of nature and prays for a good harvest is normally held in August. Also in Chamba, the Manimahesh Yatra to the sacred tarn of Manimahesh is held immediately after the festival of Janamashtmi. Several places in Chamba, Bilaspur and Sirmour have the Gugga fair which is connected with the worship of Gugga, the Nag devta. 
As the rains end, autumn sends flery colours racing through the hills. In Kinnaur, the festival of flowers, Fullaich opens a window to its remarkable people and their beautiful countryside. 
More traditionally, over two hundred deities coverage on Kullu for its unusual Dussehra celebrations. They pay homage to lord Raghunath while music and colour fill the Silver valley.
With winter just a hop and skip away, the age-old Lavi fair fills Rampur with a burst of activity. 
The extravaganza of the Ice Skating Carnival is normally reserved for December. Christmas celebrations overtake Shimla and Dalhousie and as the church bells chime, they carry away another event-packed year.