An annual bamboo festival is made a local holiday in Kerala, India.
India’s Kerala Bureau of Industrial Promotion has officially created an annual Kerala Bamboo Fest, to celebrate the integral role played by bamboo in the economy and lifestyle of this large state in the southwestern part of the country.

According to interior ministry officials, nearly 10,000 workers are employed in bamboo-related industries in Kerala alone. The government has announced plans to expand the industry.

Products made of bamboo in Kerala include building materials, construction equipment, industrial products, handicrafts, books and house wares. Workers from 12 other Indian states will take part in the festival, exhibiting new products and promoting advances in bamboo production, re-growth and innovation.