What is the Mount Hagen Show?
Papua New Guinea is one of the most culturally diverse countries on Earth, with hundreds of languages and tribal groups, many of them in the rugged highlands at the centre of the island of New Guinea. Every August, the town of Mount Hagen, in the Western Highlands, hosts the Mount Hagen Cultural Show, a gathering of dozens of tribal groups from across the highlands who perform their sing-sings, traditional dances and chants, in full ceremonial dress.
The show was first staged in 1961, before Papua New Guinea's independence, to bring together tribes from across the highlands and promote unity and peace between them. It is the oldest cultural show in the country, and in 2025, it celebrated its 65th edition, with more than 50 cultural groups. Mount Hagen is the country's third-largest city and the home of the Melpa people, and the show is also a meeting point for communities from across the region.
For three days, the groups parade and dance in front of the crowds, competing for prizes. Each group has its own costumes, songs and dances, passed down through generations: elaborate headdresses of feathers, faces and bodies painted in bright colours or covered in clay, shell necklaces, grass skirts and drums. Some groups perform rituals, mock battles and stories of their ancestors. Alongside the performances, the show has an agricultural fair, and families from across the region come to watch.
For visitors, it is a rare chance to see many of the highland cultures in one place, though travel to and around Papua New Guinea requires careful planning and attention to safety.
What to expect
The show runs for three days, Friday to Sunday, in mid-August.
Friday
The groups arrive
The cultural groups arrive at the showground in full dress and begin their performances, with time for visitors to meet and photograph them.
Saturday
The main performances
Dozens of groups dance and chant in the arena, competing for prizes, while the agricultural fair and market fill the grounds.
Sunday
The finale
The final performances and prize-giving close the show.
Performers at the Mount Hagen Show
Photo by Illustrated in Blue / flickr · CC BY 2.0
Planning your trip
Getting there
Mount Hagen's Kagamuga Airport, about 13 kilometres from town, has daily flights from Port Moresby, the capital. Most visitors fly into Port Moresby first and connect. Travelling overland in the highlands is not recommended for visitors.
Where to stay
Mount Hagen has a small number of hotels and lodges, which are booked up for the show by tour groups. Most international visitors come on an organized tour, which includes accommodation, transport and admission.
What it costs
Admission is usually included in tour packages. Travel to and within Papua New Guinea is expensive, with domestic flights, accommodation and tours costing more than in most of Southeast Asia.
Go like you know
- Travel with an experienced tour operator who knows the highlands.
- Ask before photographing performers, and respect any refusal.
- Bring a rain jacket and warm layers; the highlands are cool and wet.
- Bring small notes of kina, the local currency, for food and crafts at the market.
- Visit the local markets with your guide for bilums, woven string bags, and other highland crafts.
- Combine the show with a visit to a highland village, arranged through your tour operator.
- Be patient: schedules change, and groups arrive when they are ready.
- Carry a copy of your passport and keep your tour operator's phone number with you at all times.
- Bring sun protection; the highland sun is strong at midday.
- Respect the performers' wishes and any fees for photographs, which some groups ask for.
- Papua New Guinea's Goroka Show, in September, is the country's other great highland cultural show.
- For more Pacific culture, see Rapa Nui's Tapati festival in February.
Frequently asked questions
When is the Mount Hagen Show?
Every August, over a weekend in the middle of the month, from Friday to Sunday. The 2026 show ran from August 14 to 16. The 2027 dates have not been announced, but a mid-August weekend, around August 13 to 15, is likely. Check with the tourism authority or tour operators.
Is it safe to visit?
Papua New Guinea has serious security issues, and several governments advise against non-essential travel, with tribal tensions affecting the Highlands. Visitors should check official travel advice, travel with an experienced tour operator, stay in secure accommodation and follow local guidance throughout their trip.
How is it different from the Goroka Show?
Both are great cultural shows in the highlands, with tribal groups in ceremonial dress. The Mount Hagen Show, in August, is the oldest, dating from 1961, and focuses on the Western Highlands. The Goroka Show, in September, is held in the Eastern Highlands. Some visitors attend both.
