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Weekend events you can’t miss in Lucknow (Feb 6-8)
From flower shows and campus festivals to theatre, spoken word and winter picnics, Lucknow hosts a packed line-up of cultural events from February 6 to 8
Blooming dales
What: Mark your calendars—it’s that time of year when Raj Bhavan’s iconic gardens burst into bloom. The city’s largest flower show offers imaginative floral installations as well as creative displays of local fruits and vegetables, with towering floral sculptures and striking installations.
A treat for seasoned gardeners and nature lovers, the exhibition offers plenty to photograph, stroll through, or simply unwind amidst. The show is organised by the state’s Department of Horticulture and provides information on modern gardening techniques, sustainable practices, and the region’s agricultural diversity.
When: February 6 to 8 (Friday to Sunday), 10 am to 5 pm
Where: Raj Bhavan
Entry: Prices start at ₹10; tickets available on Gate No. 1
A return to campus
What: Indian Institutes of Management (IIM) Lucknow’s three-day ManFest (short for management festival), Business Conclave, and Varchasva (the institute’s cultural and sports festival) offer open access to sessions on management case studies, simulations, and panel discussions, as well as performances by music icons such as Sufi fusion artist Mohammed Asif and Papon on February 7, and the Indian hip-hop collective Seedhe Maut on February 8.
When: February 6 to 8 (Friday to Sunday), 11 am onwards
Where: IIM-Lucknow
Entry: Prices start at ₹1,800 for all three nights; reach out to @manfestvarchasva_iiml on Instagram or call 99100-39109 to buy tickets. (Tickets for Seedhi Maut are being sold separately, on district.in)
Comedy in translation
What: Lucknow’s theatre scene is set to be taken over by the French master of comedy, Molière, as his farce Le Médecin Malgré Lui (The Doctor in Spite of Himself) comes to the stage as Adaab Arz Hai, in an Urdu translation by Salim Arif.
The play follows a woodcutter, played by Ankur Saxena, who is forced to pose as a celebrated physician, spouting nonsensical medical jargon and prescribing beatings as cures. What begins as a performance under duress gradually unravels as a comical farce playing on mistaken authority and improbable “genius.”
When: February 8 (Sunday), 6.45 pm
Where: Buddha Research Institute Auditorium
Entry: Prices start at ₹90
The word is out
What: Known for his anti-climactic delivery and tragicomic punchlines, spoken-word poet Nishant Dheer brings his latest act, Superman, to Lucknow. While his work often centres on themes of romance and relationships, this performance shifts away from love poems to focus on the bittersweet phases of childhood. Drawing from his own life, he blends stories, poetry and humour with his trademark dryly sarcastic delivery.
When: February 8 (Sunday), 4 pm
Where: Lucknow Events Club
Entry: Prices start at ₹299
Picnic time
What: Bring out your baskets and roll out your picnic mats for a mass picnic in the winter sun at Janeshwar Mishra Park’s city gardens. Organisers The Melons’ Studio have curated a line-up of activities too, ranging from board games such as UNO, Catan, Shasn and Game of Life to outdoor sports like badminton, dodgeball and football.
DIY workshops will also help participants paint totes, canvases and jars, or make jewellery. While entry to the picnic is free, the workshops are priced at ₹500 per activity or ₹1,200 for three (materials included).
Guests are welcome to bring their own snacks, but food will also be available.
When: Feb 8, 11 am
Where: Janeshwar Mishra Park, Gate No 6 (meeting point)
Entry: Free; WhatsApp 95605-37304 to pre-book activities and meals
