People in Fergana Valley do love local festivals and celebrations! Nowruz/Navruz (March 20 or 21) marks Persian New Year with traditional music, dancing, horse games, special foods like sumalak, and community gatherings. You’ll find celebrations and public events in every city and town during this time. There are also regular handicrafts festivals in Margilan, Kokand, Rishtan and other cities. Late summer melon festivals honor famous regional melons with tastings and competitions. Religious holidays like Eid involve family gatherings and special foods. Uzbekistan Independence Day (September 1) features parades and concerts. Namangan City hosts quite a few annual festivals like the month-long International Flower Festival that takes place from the end of May to June and the Honey Festival at the end of October.

Local weddings are big affairs and sometimes occur in public spaces with traditional music and dancing so it can be fun to observe from a distance. You may even be asked to join in. Ask local guides or hotels about events happening during your visit.