Qutab festival was started to promote the Qutab Minar as a premiere tourist attraction. The Archeological Survey of India (ASI) mulled this plan to save Qutab Minar from desecration. This effort of the ASI has paid off and people are more concerned of their heritage than they were a decade ago. This 3 days festival is organized during the month of October-November in the Qutab Complex with Qutab Minar in its backdrop. Primarily, this festival is meant to highlight the different aspects of this intimidating monument. But lately, it has started showcasing the vivid art forms of India. The Qutab festival has been successful in bringing this historical monument at the epicenter of international importance.

During the Qutab festival, numerous classical and folk artists from all over India present their performances. These include the likes of Bhimsen Joshi, Bishmillah Khan, Shiv Prashad Sharma and Zakir Hussain among others. Various masters of Sufi music and Qauwwali from all over the world too perform at the Qutab festival. This is arguably the best place to experience different forms of classical and folk performance under one roof and that too by the masters of the respective fields.