Lucknow: The city’s oldest student-run youth festival, Dastak Youth Festival, is set to celebrate its 18th edition with a vibrant three-day cultural extravaganza at the International Buddha Research Institute (IBRI), Gomti Nagar, from 10 to 12 February. Over the years, Dastak has emerged as a significant platform for continuous cultural engagement and youth participation, completing eighteen years of sustained presence in the city’s cultural landscape.
The 18th season of the festival will feature more than 30 competitions spread across three days, with participation from over 500 students representing more than 55 colleges across the city. The theme for this year’s festival is “Nature, Environment and Our Uttar Pradesh”, with a special focus on eco-tourism, youth participation, and cultural awareness, highlighting the role of young people in promoting sustainable tourism and environmental responsibility.
The festival venue will be transformed with attractive décor inspired by wildlife, travel, and iconic features of Uttar Pradesh, including themed installations, selfie points, food stalls, exhibitions, and interactive spaces for visitors.
Organised in three phases, this year’s Dastak Youth Festival began with college outreach and interest rounds on 26 January, leading up to the main festival days on 10th, 11th, and 12th February. The event is being organised with the support of the Uttar Pradesh Tourism Department, Yuva Club, and eco-tourism initiatives, further strengthening its link with responsible tourism and youth-driven cultural activities.
Competitions scheduled for the opening day include Mehendi, debate, creative installation, solo singing, bait baazi, and poetry, while competitions such as photography, news reporting, and reel making will continue across all three days, with final presentations on 12 February. All participants are required to report for registration at 10:00 a.m. on their respective competition days.
A special cultural highlight of the festival will be the acclaimed stage play “Hat Tere Ki”, to be performed on the evening of 11 February, featuring renowned artists Udayveer Singh Yadav and Jiya Khan in lead roles. The festival will also showcase films connected to Lucknow and a photography exhibition by noted wildlife enthusiast and photographer Mohammad Ahsan, focusing on nature and wildlife.
Post-festival engagement activities will continue from 13 to 20 February, including film club screenings, nature walks, and social media-based video and storytelling initiatives, extending the festival’s impact beyond the main event days.
The festival will culminate on 21 February with a closing ceremony and certificate distribution, coinciding with International Tourist Guide Day and International Mother Language Day, underscoring Dastak’s commitment to cultural interpretation and linguistic diversity.
Reflecting the festival’s enduring legacy, many individuals who once attended Dastak as children are now part of its organising team. Over the years, Dastak alumni have gone on to become judges, professors, journalists, and actors, yet continue to return each year to reconnect with the festival and mentor new participants.
Speaking about the theme, Sangita Jaiswal, Co-founder and Convener of Dastak, said, “The theme of the festival will promote eco-tourism and the cultural heritage of Uttar Pradesh, highlighting the role of youth as change-makers in building a sustainable and culturally aware society.”
