Arunachal Pradesh to host first-ever 5-day ‘Sun Rise Festival’ this year – mark the dates

Arunachal Pradesh will be hosting a festival soon, which will provide travellers the option to plan a trip to Northeast this year. Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Saturday announced that the state will be hosting a five-day ‘Sun Rise Festival’ at Dong village in Anjaw district, to boost tourism and create new opportunities for adventurers and nature lovers. He added that the festival will take place from December 29, 2025, to January 2, 2026, which will give visitors the chance to welcome the New Year from the easternmost point of India, where the country’s first rays of the sun are seen.The announcement was made by CM Khandu on social media platform X shortly after he arrived in Walong, Anjaw district. In his post, he said, “Landed in Walong, Anjaw district, and will be heading towards Dong – the place where the first Sun Ray touches Indian soil. To boost tourism and create new opportunities for adventurers & nature lovers, I am delighted to announce that from this year onwards we will be hosting a 5-day 'SUN RISE Festival' at Dong from Dec 29 to Jan 2.” He further invited travellers, saying, “Come, witness the first dawn of the New Year in the Land of the Rising Sun.”Dong, located in Arunachal Pradesh’s Anjaw district, is famed as the country’s first village to receive sunrise, which further makes it an ideal location for such a unique festival. Hosting this event during the New Year period, the government hopes to highlight this unique geographical distinction while promoting the cultural richness and natural beauty of the region.The festival announcement comes close on the heels of a major aviation-related gathering in the state. On Thursday, the North East Region (NER) Ministers’ Conference on Civil Aviation 2025, along with the 3rd North East Aviation Summit, was held in Itanagar. The event was organised by the Ministry of Civil Aviation and brought together key stakeholders to discuss the future of air connectivity in the region.Read More: 10 destinations in India for the greatest safari tours in the wildIn his address at the summit, CM Khandu emphasised that transportation connectivity is the most critical factor for the development of the North East Region. He noted that over the last decade, the aviation sector in the region has witnessed unprecedented growth, with new airports and expanded infrastructure making remote and border areas more accessible. According to the Ministry of Civil Aviation, the long-standing dream of having airports in Arunachal Pradesh became a reality with strong support from the central government under the leadership of the Prime Minister.Khandu highlighted that initiatives like the UDAN scheme have played a key role in transforming the socio-economic landscape of the North East by linking remote areas with major cities. These improvements are expected to complement tourism initiatives such as the Sun Rise Festival by making travel to Arunachal Pradesh smoother and more convenient.Read More: 5 islands that are disappearing — visit before they’re goneUnion Minister for Civil Aviation, Rammohan Naidu Kinjarapu, also spoke at the conference, stressing the importance of deeper Centre-State-Industry collaboration to accelerate the civil aviation sector’s growth in the region. He pointed out that enhanced air connectivity is vital not only for promoting tourism but also for strengthening accessibility to remote border districts such as Anjaw, where Dong village is located.