Independence Day 2026: Bengaluru Hosts Freedom Festival at Vidhana Soudha

Bengaluru is set for a packed Independence Day celebration today, with a large scale Freedom Festival planned in front of Vidhana Soudha. The event will run from noon until 10 pm and bring together schoolchildren, cultural groups and popular musicians.

The celebrations will begin at noon with performances by school students. The first programme, scheduled to continue until 3 pm, will give children an opportunity to present cultural performances as part of the Independence Day festivities.

The focus will then shift to Ambedkar Road, where the Freedom Parade is scheduled from 3 pm to 5.30 pm. The procession will begin near IPO Circle, also known as Gopal Gowda Circle, in front of Vidhana Soudha and move towards Thimmaiah Circle.

Around 15 teams representing different districts of Karnataka are expected to take part in the parade. Ten prominent cultural groups from other states will also participate, bringing traditional art forms and performances to the streets of central Bengaluru.

The evening programme will take centre stage from 5.30 pm. A large stage in front of Vidhana Soudha will host the music and dance celebrations, with more than 20 artists expected to perform during the four and a half hour programme.

Popular singers including M D Pallavi, Sangeetha Hegde and Raghu Dixit are scheduled to perform. The evening music programme is expected to draw considerable attention as Bengaluru residents gather for the Independence Day celebrations.

Entry to the Freedom Festival is restricted to people who registered in advance. More than 20,000 people have reportedly completed online registration for the event.

With thousands of visitors expected, security arrangements have been strengthened across the venue. More than 3,000 police personnel, including senior officers at DCP and ACP levels, have been deployed to manage security and crowd movement.

The combination of a student programme, cultural parade and evening concert is expected to keep the Vidhana Soudha area active throughout the day. Authorities are also preparing for large crowds as Bengaluru celebrates Independence Day with a citywide festive atmosphere.