Describe a traditional festival that is important in your country

Describe a traditional festival that is important in your country

Last Updated on August 8, 2025

An IELTS Cue Card for the question “Describe a traditional festival that is important in your country” is featured in this IELTS Speaking Cue Card blog. In the IELTS Speaking test, you are assessed across three parts: the introduction, the cue card task, and the follow-up discussion. You get 11 to 15 minutes to display your fluency, coherence, and vocabulary. This IELTS speaking blog includes three model answers along with follow-up questions, related IELTS Cue Card topics, and a vocabulary list to help you prepare with confidence.

Book Free Counselling Session
Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.

Describe a traditional festival that is important in your country

You should say:

  • When it is celebrated
  • What people do during this festival
  • What you like or dislike about it
  • And explain why this festival is important in your country

Model Answer 1: Diwali – Describe a traditional festival that is important in your country

Describe a traditional festival that is important in your country.

Among its countless celebrations, I would unquestionably single out Diwali, the Festival of Lights, as the traditional festival that rises above the rest.

When it is celebrated

Obviously, the exact date of Diwali varies, falling in October or November, according to the Hindu lunar calendar. The festival customarily spans five days, of which the third day is regarded as the most significant.

What people do during this festival

People tidy up their homes and spruce them up with lamps, candles, and rangoli. They don new attire, set off firecrackers, pass around sweets, and carry out religious rites to worship Goddess Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth.

What you love or don’t like about it

I am thrilled by the vibrant décor and all-around festive spirit. Yet I hate the deafening blast and the adverse air pollution released from the firecrackers.

Why the festival is significant

Diwali commemorates the triumph of light over darkness and of good over evil. Because it unites families and communities, it carries profound cultural and emotional importance throughout India.

Conclusion

Diwali is more than a mere observance; it stirs an emotion that binds people of every faith, every corner of the country, and every generation.

Model Answer 2: Pongal – Describe a traditional festival that is important in your country

Describe a traditional festival that is important in your country.

In the southern region of India—particularly Tamil Nadu—Pongal, a harvest festival, occupies a place of utmost importance.

When it is celebrated

The celebration happens in mid-January, most often from the 14th to the 17th, heralding the beginning of the Tamil month Thai.

What people do during this festival

Families cook the season’s first grain of rice and allow it to spill over from the pot, a sign of abundance. Families cook staples like sweet pongal, deck out cattle in colourful ornaments, and don traditional clothing.

What you love or don’t like about it

I appreciate Pongal’s simple rural ambience and its profound cultural foundations. My only gripe is that the celebration is celebrated mostly in a small number of regions.

Why the festival is significant

It pays homage to nature and to India’s farmers, both of which are critical in this predominantly agrarian nation. It is also one of the scant occasions which expresses gratitude toward the Sun God and the Earth.

Conclusion

Pongal urges us to honour nature and value the food before us.

Model Answer 3: Eid – Describe a traditional festival that is important in your country

Describe a traditional festival that is important in your country.

Eid is likewise a major traditional festival celebrated by India’s Muslim community, marking a day of prayer, gratitude, and communal bonding.

When it is celebrated

There are two Eids—Eid al-Fitr, observed after the month of Ramadan, and Eid al-Adha, marking about two months later. The precise dates shift in accordance with the lunar calendar.

What people do during this festival

If it falls on a Friday, Muslims attend Eid prayers at their mosques, don new attire, exchange “Eid Mubarak” greetings, and sit down to a festive feast featuring dishes such as biryani and seviyan. A substantial element of the celebration is charitable giving.

What you love or don’t like about it

I’m especially fond of the atmosphere of communal solidarity and selfless sharing that characterises Eid. All are welcoming, and food is generously shared with relatives, neighbours, and the poor. To be perfectly honest, I simply can’t bring to mind anything I dislike about it.

Why the festival is significant

Eid nurtures values of discipline, empathy, and sharing. It draws adherents of varied faiths together and fosters a mood of unity.

Conclusion

Eid vividly showcases India’s diversity and the harmony that exists among its communities.

Follow-up Questions to “Describe a traditional festival that is important in your country.”

Why do people so enjoy traditional festivals?

They permit people to honor their culture, strengthen family bonds, and pause from their everyday routine.

In what ways do festivals mirror a nation’s culture?

By presenting the nation’s religious beliefs, time-honoured customs, distinctive cuisine, vibrant art, and core values, festivals act as a reflection of its identity.

Do you believe that traditional festivals evolve along with time?

Yes, many festivals have grown increasingly commercial, and customary traditions are frequently supplanted by modern variations.

Should the celebration of traditional festivals become part of the school curriculum?

Absolutely. It allows them to connect with their roots and to appreciate the significance of unity and diversity.

How crucial are traditional festivals to fostering national unity?

Indeed, they unite people and call to mind a shared history and set of values, thereby reinforcing national identity.

Vocabulary List – “Describe a traditional festival that is important in your country.”

Use these words and phrases naturally in your speaking answers to the IELTS Speaking Cue Card, to boost your lexical resource band score.

Word / PhraseMeaning / Usage
Culturally significantSomething important to a group’s culture
Observed annuallyCelebrated every year
Festive atmosphereA joyful and celebratory mood
Religious ritualsCeremonial actions connected to faith
Community bondingBringing people together socially
Traditional attireClothes typically worn during festivals
Symbolises prosperityRepresents wealth and growth
Spiritual significanceDeeper religious or emotional meaning
Harvest seasonTime when crops are gathered
Cultural heritageTraditions passed down through generations

Conclusion

Read responses in this IELTS speaking blog,  to the IELTS Cue Card “Describe a traditional festival that is important in your country” to guide how you structure your answer. Working through a diverse array of cue cards can enhance your fluency, expand your vocabulary, and bolster your confidence. When seeking expert guidance, partner with Admissify—your trusted mentor in IELTS success and global admissions.

Related IELTS Cue Card topics 

Here is a list of other IELTS Cue Card topics that you can follow and the IELTS speaking blog written on them, as a guide for how to structure your answer: 

FAQs

Which traditional festival is regarded as most significant in India?

Diwali is commonly regarded as the foremost traditional festival in India, emblematic of the triumph of light over darkness.

In what ways do Indians commemorate traditional festivals?

Indians commemorate the celebrations through prayers, elaborate decorations, cultural rituals, family gatherings, and festive food.

What makes traditional festivals so important?

They uphold cultural values, fortify social ties, and transmit traditions to future generations.

May I make reference to a religious festival in the IELTS Speaking test?

Certainly, religious festivals are perfectly acceptable—when you describe them respectfully, they signal cultural awareness.

How should I describe a festival on the IELTS cue card?

Give its name, importance, the ways in which it’s commemorated, your own experience of it, and the reasons it holds significance for you.

Article Categories:
Speaking

As a dynamic social media content strategist and storyteller, Bhaskarjyoti blends creativity with data-driven precision to turn aspirations into action. With a keen understanding of what today’s students seek, he has redefined how study-abroad dreams are communicated, combining global trends with grounded Indian values. He also works across student guides, scholarship explainers, university deep-dives, and thought pieces, making study-abroad content both insightful and accessible. Always curious, always evolving - he believes that great content is not just about reach, but about impact. And that the right story, told the right way, can change a life.

Comments are closed.