64th Kerala School Kalolsavam

64th Kerala School Kalolsavam
കേരള സ്കൂൾ കലോത്സവം 2026
Logo of the 64th Kerala School Kalolsavam
StatusConcluded
GenreSchool arts festival, culture of Kerala, tribal art, School Kalolsavam
Begins14 January 2026
Ends18 January 2026
FrequencyAnnual
VenueThrissur
LocationsThrissur, Kerala
CountryIndia
Years active1957–present
Previous event
63rd
Participants14,000+
Organised byGovernment of Kerala
Websiteulsavam.kite.kerala.gov.in

64th Kerala School Kalolsavam (ml;കേരള സ്കൂൾ കലോത്സവം 2026), also referred to as the Kerala State School Arts Festival 2026, was the 64th edition of the Kerala School Kalolsavam. It was held from 14 to 18 January 2026 in Thrissur, Kerala. The festival featured competitions across 239 items at 25 venues, with the main venue at the Pooram Exhibition Ground in Thekkinkadu Maidan.[1][2]

The festival was inaugurated by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. At the conclusion of the five-day event, Kannur district won the championship with 1,028 points, followed by host district Thrissur with 1,023 points and Kozhikode district with 1,017 points.[3][4]

A notable development during the edition was the first remote participation in the festival's history, when a student from Kasaragod district was allowed to compete online on medical grounds and secured an A grade.[5][6]

Background

The 64th edition of the festival was scheduled to be held in Thrissur after the General Education Department announced the host city in July 2025.[7] The event schedule was formally released in December 2025, fixing the festival from 14 to 18 January 2026 across 25 venues in the city.[1]

The 2026 edition was organised under the theme Responsible Kalolsavam. Organisers framed the event around responsible consumption, responsible food habits and responsible competition, while also introducing green measures such as discouraging plastic use and regulating sound systems.[2][1]

The festival continued the inclusion of tribal art forms introduced in the previous edition. Contemporary reporting noted stronger participation across all five tribal performance items in 2026, indicating wider adoption by schools across districts.[8]

Opening ceremony

The festival was inaugurated on 14 January 2026 at the main venue in Thrissur by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.[1][3] In his inaugural address, Vijayan described the festival as a space for artistic expression and social harmony, and called for art to be used against divisive tendencies in society.[3]

Venues

The 64th Kerala School Kalolsavam was held at 25 venues in and around Thrissur. The venues were named after flowers, with the main venue at the Pooram Exhibition Ground in Thekkinkadu Maidan named Sooryakanthi.[2][9]

Festival arrangements

A common dining facility was arranged at Palace Ground, while registration functioned at Government Model Boys HSS and the programme office at Government Model GVHSS.[1] The festival kitchen, led by Pazhayidam Mohanan Namboothiri, was designed to serve thousands of participants daily, with the dining pavilion accommodating 4,000 people at a time.[10]

Online participation

During the festival, Class X student Siya Fathima of Kasaragod district became the first participant in the history of the Kerala School Kalolsavam to compete remotely. She was granted special permission by the General Education Department after being diagnosed with vasculitis and placed under strict quarantine. Participating via video conference in Arabic poster designing, she secured an A grade.[5][6]

Closing ceremony

The closing ceremony was held on 18 January 2026, with actor Mohanlal attending as chief guest.[1][11] Kannur district won the overall championship with 1,028 points, narrowly ahead of host district Thrissur on 1,023 points; Kozhikode finished third with 1,017 points.[4][11]

Performance table

The table below provides an overview of the performance of each of the 14 districts, showing the final points earned.

Categories

District(s)
 HS General HSS General HS Arabic HS Sanskrit Gold Cup Point Final results
Alappuzha443489919193212th place
Ernakulam46451495959787th place
Idukki403448878085114th place
Kannur79453495951028WINNER
Kasaragod45349495939479th place
Kollam47151795959885th place
Kottayam467475919194210th place
Kozhikode479538959510172nd RUNNER-UP
Malappuram46851393959816th place
Palakkad474539959510134th place
Pathanamthitta433462649589513th place
Thiruvananthapuram46151695939778th place
Thrissur489534959510231st RUNNER-UP
Wayanad457478959093511th place
  • W – winner
  • 1RU – 1st runner-up
  • 2RU – 2nd runner-up
  •     — host district

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Kerala School Kalolsavam 2026 Schedule Released; CM to Inaugurate in Thrissur". Deshabhimani. 20 December 2025.
  2. 1 2 3 "Thrissur gears up for 64th Kerala State School Arts Festival with 14,000 students". The New Indian Express. 13 January 2026.
  3. 1 2 3 "CM Pinarayi inaugurates Kerala School Arts Fest, calls for using art as weapon to counter divisive forces". The New Indian Express. 14 January 2026.
  4. 1 2 "Kannur bags gold cup at 64th State School Kalolsavam; Thrissur finishes second". Onmanorama. 18 January 2026.
  5. 1 2 "Quarantine can't fade her colours as Kerala girl lands 'A' grade in Arabic poster design". The New Indian Express. 18 January 2026.
  6. 1 2 "School Kalolsavam: Kasaragod girl with rare disease wins an A grade after competing online". Onmanorama. 17 January 2026.
  7. ↑ "Thrissur to host 64th Kerala School Kalolsavam". Onmanorama. 5 July 2025.
  8. ↑ "64th Kerala School Kalolsavam: Tribal dance forms are here to stay". The New Indian Express. 19 January 2026.
  9. ↑ "'Lotus' added to Kerala School Kalolsavam venue list; arts fest in Thrissur to host 15,000 students". Onmanorama. 10 January 2026.
  10. ↑ "State School Kalolsavam festival kitchen set to serve thousands from today". Onmanorama. 13 January 2026.
  11. 1 2 "64th Kerala School Kalolsavam: Kannur strike gold". The New Indian Express. 19 January 2026.
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