Onam which is the biggest festival of Kerela is celebrated in memory of the golden era of King Mahabali whose spirit is said to visit the state at the time of Onam. It is a time for sports, festivities, and ritual celebrations in Kerala. Colorful aquatic festivals are organized along the sacred rive Pampa as part of the celebrations.

As per the positioning of the stars and the moon, the festival is held at the end of August or beginning of September, less than a fortnight after the Malayalam New Year, Chingam begins. The festival is also marked by the time when one should visit Kerala. All over the state, rituals along with new clothes, traditional cuisine, dance, and music mark this harvest festival.

In Trichur, a vibrant procession with resplendently caparisoned elephants is taken out while at Cheruthuruthy, people gather to watch Kathakali performers enact scenes from epics and folk tales. Performers painted like tigers in bright yellow, red and black, dance to the beats of instruments like udukku and thakil.

The swing is another integral part of Onam, especially in the rural areas. Young men and women, decked in their best, sing Onappaattu, or Onam songs, and rock one another on swings slung from high branches.