Festivals of Madhya Pradesh form an integral part of the rich and diverse culture of the state. A number of festivals are celebrated in Madhya Pradesh. An important tribal festival is Bhagoriya marked by traditional gaiety and enthusiasm. Shivaratri is celebrated in Khajuraho, Bhojpur, Pachmarhi and Ujjain and has its own local flavour while Ramnavami festival at Chitrakoot and Orchha has a unique sense of devotion imbued with tradition. Festivals of Orchha, Malwa, and Pachmarhi bring to the fore the rich culture and art of the people of Madhya Pradesh.

While the traditional religious festivals of the Hindus, Muslims and other communities are celebrated in Madhya Pradesh, as enthusiastically as in the rest of India, it is the tribal fairs and festivals of the state, which is a celebration of the ethnic life-styles of the colourful tribes of the land. Carefree revelry, drinking bouts and exotic entertainment like cock-fighting, uninhibited dancing, etc. mark the tribal festivals in state of Madhya Pradesh. It is difficult to express in words the genuine and strong tradition of democracy of the tribal society, the harmonious living with nature, and the respected status accorded to women, the amicable sharing of the community resources of this central region of India. Among the popular cultural festivals of Madhya Pradesh, the Khajuraho Festival of Dances and the Tansen Music Festival in Gwalior are poignant celebrations of Indian classical dance and music.

Bhagoria Dance is a colourful festival of Bhil tribe and Bhilalas, particularly in the district of West Nimar and Jhabua district. It is known as mass Swayamvara, usually held on the various market days falling before the Holi festival in March. As the name of the festival indicates, (bhag, to run), after choosing their partners, the young people elope and are subsequently accepted as husband and wife by society through predetermined customs. The tradition is that the boy applies `gulal` or red powder, on the face of the girl whom he selects as his wife. The girl, if willing, also applies gulal on the boy`s face. This may not happen immediately but the boy may pursue her and succeed eventually. Earlier, the Bhagoria haat was also the place for settling old disputes; open invitations were sent to enemies for a fight in the haat. The Bhagoria haat also coincides with the completion of harvesting, adding to it the dimension of being an agricultural festival as well. In the life of the Bhils and Bhilalas, Bhagoria is not merely one festival but in fact a series of fairs held one by one at various villages on their specific market days, commencing eight days before Holi.

In Madhya Pradesh, every ancient monument has a fascinating story to tell. Khajuraho was once the capital of the great Chandela Kings. It is also the setting of the Khajuraho Festival of Dances, which draws the best classical dancers in the country every year and they perform against the spectacular backdrop of the floodlit temples. This festival is organised around February or March. The past and the present silhouetted against the glow of a setting sun becomes an exquisite backdrop for the performers. In a setting where the earthly and the divine create perfect harmony an event that celebrates the pure magic of the rich classical dance traditions of India. As dusk falls, the temples are lit up in a soft, dream-like ethereal stage. The finest exponents of different classical Indian styles are represented such as Kathak, Bharatnatyam, Kuchipudi, Odissi, Manipuri dance, and many more.

Madhya Pradesh occupies a special position in the history of Indian music. The Gwalior Gharana is among the most prominent arbiters of the classical style. Raja Man Singh`s patronage of Dhrupad singers is well known. A pillar of Hindustani classical music, the great Tansen, one of the `nine jewels` of Akbar`s court, lies buried in Gwalior. The memorial to this great musician has a pristine simplicity, and is built in the early Mughal architectural style. More than a monument, the Tansen Tomb is a part of Gwalior`s living cultural heritage. It is the venue of the annual Indian classical festival that is the Tansen Music Festival held here in between November and December. Renowned classical singers of the land entertain audiences through five captivating nightlong sessions of the much-loved classical range.