At the foot of the Fergana Valley, where mountains meet orchards and craft traditions bloom like the gardens themselves, lies a city that has mastered the art of celebration: Namangan.
Each spring, it transforms into the floral heart of Central Asia, and in 2025 I had the privilege of witnessing this transformation first-hand.
The 64th International Flower Festival: A city in bloom
On 25 May 2025, Namangan opened its arms to the world for the 64th edition of the International Flower Festival, one of Central Asia’s most vibrant and joyful cultural events. Held at the Zahiriddin Muhammad Babur Culture and Recreation Park, the festival welcomed visitors with a dazzling parade of over 200 flower-adorned cars, rolling across a 10-kilometre route from Namangan International Airport to the city centre.
In total, the city planted over 100 million flowers to mark the occasion, a figure that almost defies imagination. Public parks, main roads, and hidden corners alike were transformed into blooming tapestries, standing out as floral masterpieces.
But the festival offered more than a visual delight. With over 100 cultural events the city became a stage for art, crafts, gastronomy, and joy all woven together by the scent of millions of flowers.
As a tourism professional, I see cultural festivals not merely as events but as living portals into a region’s soul. They bring together what makes travel truly meaningful: authentic encounters with local traditions, music, cuisine, and people. In one setting, visitors can experience the rhythm of a place not as passive observers but as participants. For me, festivals like Namangan’s are essential to cultural travel. They create space for both celebration and understanding, offering glimpses into how communities express identity, memory, and joy.
Aksikent: Beyond the blossoms
While the flowers drew crowds, Namangan’s soul lies deeper, in its history, its people, and its roots.
During the visit, we had the opportunity to explore Aksikent, an ancient Silk Road city located just 30 kilometres from Namangan. Once a flourishing centre of trade and culture, Aksikent dates back over two millennia but is perhaps best known today as the birthplace of Zahiriddin Muhammad Babur, founder of the Mughal Empire.
Throughout my travels across Asia, I’ve encountered traces of Babur’s legacy in many remarkable places.
In India, his presence is monumental. As the founder of the Mughal Empire, he laid the foundations of a dynasty that would shape the region’s politics, culture, literature and architecture for centuries.
In Kyrgyzstan, I visited Suleiman-Too, the mountain overlooking Osh where Babur is believed to have spent time in reflection before setting out for India. It was here, feeling confined by the limits of his homeland, that he dreamt of expanding into India. Standing on that peak, with the vast Fergana Valley stretching out below, I could sense the spiritual atmosphere that must have once stirred his soul.
In Uzbekistan, his legacy is woven deeply into the nation’s literature, education and historical memory. In Afghanistan, I had the opportunity to visit his final resting place in Bagh-e Babur, a serene garden in Kabul, where Babur was buried in accordance with his will. Although he died in India, he wished to be laid to rest in the land he cherished most. Even in modern-day Türkiye, Babur’s impact is symbolically recognized. One of the sixteen stars on the official Presidency Seal represents the Mughal Empire, acknowledged as one of the historical Turkic states due to Babur’s Chagatai Turkic origin and imperial lineage.
Yet despite all these encounters, standing in Aksikent, the very place where Babur was born, carried a unique and personal resonance. It wasn’t just about tracing his legacy. It was about returning to the beginning of a story that would reshape empires and cultures across the continent.
Walking among the ruins, it was easy to imagine the rhythm of markets, the footsteps of travellers, the dreams of poets. Here, history felt both distant and alive, especially when we were joined by a 15th-generation descendant of Babur. His presence and our conversations brought history into the present, a powerful reminder that heritage is not only etched in stone or recorded in books, but also passed on through people and memory.
More than a festival: A living experience
Namangan’s Flower Festival is more than a visual spectacle. It’s a multi-sensory journey where flowers meet heritage and celebration meets contemplation.
Whether you’re watching a performance in a park bursting with colour or standing silently among ancient ruins, Namangan offers something rare: a place where beauty is not just seen but felt, layered with meaning, memory, and pride.
As the festival runs until 29 June 2025, there’s still time to experience this symphony of colour, culture, and connection.
