Understanding Pithoragarh’s cultural jewels: its fairs and festivals

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore fairs and festivals organized in the city; reasons to celebrate; and their economic impact on local people, vendors and visitors. Design/methodology/approach – Secondary data were collected through local library, Web sites, books and other publications. Local residents, visitors and vendors were interviewed through semi-structured questionnaire and personal interviews. Findings – The events organized are not only an expression of the religious, social and cultural urges of the local population but also help to preserve traditions and folk culture of the region. It brings suppliers and vendors from nearby villages and cities together, resulting in significant economic well-being of the community and self. Research limitations/implications – Traveling distance to the destination, understanding of the questionnaire by the audience and getting data to analyze the economic impact of such events at a higher level are some of the limitations. Further research is required on the economic impact of regional events on state revenue, and potential areas of study may include traditional sustainable practices and the economic impact and development of an economic framework, keeping regional fairs and festivals as the center of the study. Practical implications – The research highlights the challenges for the organizers, scope of improvement and ways to popularize regional culture and cuisine. Vendors and visitors find it difficult to reach the event but are optimistic about the development. It also acts as a promotional tool to popularize Pithoragarh as a tourist destination. Originality/value – The paper helps to project Pithoragarh as a potential tourist destination known for its fairs and festivals. It focuses on the economic impact of the stakeholders and it helps visitors to acknowledge traditions and cuisine.