Boun Kao Pansa
Boat Racing Festival - Vientiane
That Luang Festival
Hmong New year Festival
That Inghang Festival
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August: Boun Asalahaboucha and Boun Khao Pansa (Buddhist Lent) Date: 2 August 2012 Venue: Vientiane Capital and nationwide The beginning of the Buddhist Lent. During the next three-month period, monks spend most of their time in prayer and meditation are restricted from spending nights in other temples other than their own.
Boun Khao Padabdin and Boat Racing Festival Date: 15 September 2012 Venue: Luang Prabang and Vientiane At the Khao Padabdin ceremony day, people visit local temples to make offerings to dead ancestors as well as to share merit-making. This festival includes boat racing on the Nam Khan River and a trade fair in Luang Prabang World Heritage town. Boun Khao Salak Date: 30 September 2012 This is for offerings to be made for dead ancestors to obtain merit. Popular and exciting longboat-racing competitions are held to celebrate the River. This festival is held during the tenth full moon of the lunar calendar. Boat Racing Festival Date: 30 September 2012 Venue: Khammouane Province This is held on the Sebangfai River. At the same occasion a trade fair of agricultural products, local handicrafts, Traditional Lao music and dance performance are organized. In this festival, citizens donate offerings to dead ancestors to gain merit.
Naga Rocket Date: 30 October 2012 Venue: Bolikhamxay Province The fireballs coming out from the water's surface, can be seen once a year on the last night of the Lao Buddhist Lent. The Naga Rockets can be spotted where the Nam Ngum and the Mekong river meet in Thaprabath District, Bolikhamxay Province, as well as in Pak Ngum District, 60 km east of Vientiane. Boun Ok Phansa and Boat Racing Festival Date: 31 October 2012 Venue: Vientiane Capital On the first day at dawn, donation and offerings are made at temples around the city. In the evening, candlelight processions are held around the temples and hundred of colorful floats decorated with flower, incense and candle are set adrift down the Mekong river in thanksgiving to the river spirit. The next day, a popular and exciting boat racing competition is held on the Mekong river. Venue: Sayabouly Province That marks the end of the monks' three-month-fast and retreat during the rainy season. At dawn, donation and offerings are made at the temples. Prayers are chanted by the monks, and at dusk candlelight procession wind round the temples. Concurrently, hundreds of decorated candlelit-floats, made of paper, are set adrift in the rivers. These carry offerings and incense, transforming the river into a fragrant snake of sparkling.
That Luang Festival and Trade Fair in Vientiane Capital Date: 28 November 2012 Venue: Vientiane Capital This religious festival is held in and around That Luang Stupa, the National Symbol of Laos. It is a three-day religious festival celebrated at full moon in November. It begins with pre-dawn gathering of ten thousands of pilgrims from Laos and Thailand at That Luang who listen to prayers and sermons chanted by hundreds of monks representing all Lao wats. The festival ends with a huge fireworks display. Handicraft Festival Date: End of November Venue: ITECC, Vientiane Capital Over 370 producers have reaffirmed their participation at the International Trade Exhibitionand Convention Centre (ITECC). Events of the fest include silk, cotton, rattan, wood, silver, and pottery products as well as Lao traditional foods demonstration, handicraft products contest, fashion show of Lao cloths and Japan Kimono.
Lao National Day Date: 2 December 2012 Hmong New Year Date: Beginning of December Venue: Vientiane, Oudomxay, Xiengkhouang, Luang Prabang The Hmong New Year celebration features colorful displays of traditional costumes made from green, red and white silk and ornate silver jewelry. Music from traditional Hmong instruments such as the teun-flute, Hmong-style khene pipe and leave blowing is enjoyed. Other festivities include the Makkhon (cotton-ball) throwing ceremony, ox fighting, spinning-top races and crossbow demonstrations. That Inhang Festival Date: Venue: Savannakhet Province This festival wil be held on the grounds of the splendid that Inhang Stupa which is located just outside the city of Savannakhet. An international trade fair will include exhibitions of tourism products from Laos, Thailand and Vietnam. The fair will also include the performance of Traditional Lao music and dance, as well as a sports competition featuring football, boxing, tennis and local traditions, including a druming competition. |