21st Ryan International Children’s Festival 2025
Mumbai, India

Dates: December 11th to 17th, 2025
Location: Mumbai, India
Categories: Dance, Music, Choirs, Folklore, Performing Arts

Director: Utkarsh Marwah, utkarsh.marwah@ryangroup.org
Festival Director, RICF

We are thrilled to invite your group to the 21st Ryan International Children’s Festival in Mumbai, India, from December 11th to 17th, 2025. This 10-day festival brings together students from 20 countries to celebrate culture, creativity, and global friendship.

Festival Highlights:

• Free boarding & meals for 10 days.
• Stay with Indian host families to immerse in the local culture.
• 3 days of sightseeing in Mumbai.
• 3 days of school visits, workshops, and cultural exchange.
• 3 days of performances and exciting festival events.
• Attend the grand opening & closing ceremonies and explore the World Village.
• Free airport transfers (pickup & drop-off).
• Hotel accommodation for two adult leaders.
• Students only cover airfare & visa fees.
• We can host 12-24 students, aged 12-17.

Performances:

• Trained dance groups will showcase their performance on the main stage at The Fine Arts Centre in Chembur, with an audience of 1,300 people.
• Each group will perform four dances, with each performance lasting five minutes.

• We provide a Black Box Room with a seating capacity of 60-70 people.
• Your play should not exceed 40 minutes, and you will have 40 minutes on the day of the show for a stage rehearsal.
• Please send us your list of production requirements, and we will do our best to accommodate them.
• If you are creating a new production specifically for the festival, we encourage you to base it on this year’s theme: "Let’s Have Fun"

Competitions
Your main performance will not be a part of any competition. However, we have organized a separate inter-school competition section where your students can participate in dance, drama, and arts competitions. Details will be sent by August 2025.

To ensure that we provide the appropriate stage and slot for your show, please send us a video of your performance. Our team will review it and help you plan accordingly.

Program Overview:

• Arrival at Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport in Mumbai.
• Free airport transfers provided. Check-in with Host Family 1 (NaviMumbai).
• Relax and enjoy time with the host family.

• Sightseeing in Mumbai: Explore the vibrant city and its iconic landmarks.

• Morning: Visit a Ryan School.
• Evening: Attend the RICF Opening Ceremony.

• Morning: Visit a Ryan School.
• Evening: Enjoy time with the host family.

• Sightseeing in Mumbai: Discover more of the city’s culture and attractions.

• Check-in with Host Family 2 (Mumbai). Relax and enjoy time with the host family.

• 2 Days of Festivities:
• Open stages
• 12 Competitions
• Cultural performances
• World Village
• White T-shirt Ceremony
• Closing Ceremony

• Morning: Visit a Ryan School.
• Evening: Enjoy time with the host family.

• Sightseeing in Mumbai: Final exploration of the city.

• Departure: Head to the airport for your journey home. Free airport transfers provided.

Join Us for an Unforgettable Experience!

First-time attendees
We know attending the festival in India might be a new experience. To help, we can connect you with European group leaders who have participated before. We’ll also arrange a Zoom call with the festival director, who has been organizing the event for 20 years and lives in Amsterdam.

Hotel for group leaders
Rooms are for two adults, and we encourage group leaders to share. If that’s not possible, men will be paired with other male group leaders, and women with other female group leaders. You’ll stay in two hotels: one for 5 days in Navi Mumbai and the other for 5 days in Mumbai. Students will stay in two different host families to minimize travel time between venues. Hotel details will be provided by September.