The Department of Tourism, Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Employment, Bhutan, in collaboration with the Trongsa Dzongkhag Administration, will host the fifth edition of the Black Mountain Festival from 3–4 October 2026, inviting visitors to discover Trongsa as a destination rich in heritage, culture, nature and community. Held under the theme “Trongsa Through Time: Celebrating Heritage, Creativity, and Community,” this year’s festival will expand beyond its traditional venue through a Regional Highway Activation along the Trongsa highway corridor. The five gewogs of Trongsa—Nubi, Tangsibji, Drakteng, Langthel and Korphu—will activate welcome gateways and community-led experiences, showcasing local traditions, products and landscapes.
The main festival will be held at Yid-Zhin Throm in Trongsa, following the highway activation. The initiative aims to encourage travellers to view Trongsa not merely as a transit point to neighbouring dzongkhags, but as a destination worth pausing to explore and experience. The programme will feature indigenous sports, traditional cuisine, local produce, cottage and small industry (CSI) products, crafts and the Garp-Lung-Ghi Khorlo Bangjug, a traditional cross-country race. A special highlight will be the showcase of the Monpa community of Jangbi, offering visitors an opportunity to experience its distinctive culture and way of life through traditional attire, cane and bamboo crafts, and locally produced goods.
The festival will also present an array of cultural programmes, including an Inter-Gewog Drama Competition, a Gewog Storytelling Competition featuring local elders, and an Inter-School Quiz Competition centred on the Wangchuck Dynasty. Evening programmes on both days will feature performances by young Bhutanese artists. Set against the Black Mountain range, Trongsa is home to nearly 20,000 residents across five gewogs and serves as the seat of Jigme Singye Wangchuck National Park. With more than 87% forest cover, the dzongkhag offers rich biodiversity and an unspoiled natural environment.
“Through the fifth edition of the Black Mountain Festival and the Regional Highway Activation, we hope to invite visitors to look beyond Trongsa as a transit point and discover the stories, traditions, landscapes and warm hospitality that make our communities unique,” said Wangdi Gyeltshen, Trongsa Dzongda.
Damcho Rinzin, Director, Department of Tourism, added, “The festival provides an opportunity for visitors to immerse themselves in Trongsa’s distinctive culture, traditions, cuisines and local products, while celebrating its heritage, creativity and community spirit.”