LAOS EVENTS & FESTIVALS - VIENTIANE CAPITAL

LAOS celebrate several annual festivals called " Boun" particularly enjoyable and beautiful aspects of the traditional Lao lifestyle . Most festivals are connected with religion and the yearly rice farming cycle; while the timing of the festivals is calculated according to the Buddhist lunar calendar.

EVENTS & FESTIVALS IN VIENTIANE CAPITAL

25^TH FEBRUARY ( OR THE THIRD LUNAR MONTH OF THE BUDDHIST CALENDAR)

BOUN KHAO CHI ( MAKHABOUCHA)

A ceremony is held at the “ Vat “ ( temple) in the morning , when special “ bread” made of sticky rice is offered. This festival is held during the third full moon of the lunar calendar.

5^th – 25^th MARCH BOUN PHA VET

BOUN PHA VET

A ceremony is held at the “ Vat “ ( temple ) in the morning, when special “ bread” made of sticky rice is offered . This festival is held during the third full moon of the lunar calendar.

5^th -25^th MARCH BOUN PHA VET

A ceremony of offering donations in order to have one’s future read during the 3 day and 3 night festival.

14^th -16^th April LAO’S NEW YEAR “ BOUN PI MAI LAO”

Lao’s New Year is celebrated at the same time each year ( 14^th  16^th  April) with the 16^th marking the first day of the New Year. On the 14^th , Buddha images are taken out of the temples to be cleansed with scented water by devotees and placed on special temporary alters within falling off the images, to take home and use it pour on friends and relatives, as an act of cleansing and purification before entering the New Year. On the evening of the 16^th , the images are returned to their proper shrines within the temples.

9^th  20^th MAY BOUN BANG FAI ( ROCKET FESTIVAL)

VENUE : NAXONE VILLAGE PARK NGUEM DISTRICT AND NATIONWIDE

The festival is a call for rain and a celebration of fertility. In the afternoon, people gather in the fields on the outskirts of villages and towns to launch self-made firework rockets. Different communities compete for the best decorated and the highest travelling rocket. Men disguised as women perform burlesque acts using wooden phalli in order to anger the gods. As revenge, the gods are expected to send thunderstorms.

24^th MAY BOUN VISAKHA BOUCHA DAY

This festival is held during the sixth full moon of the lunar calendar. Candlelight processions are held in temples to mark the birth date of Buddha.

22^nd JULY ( OR EIGHT LUNAR MONTH OF BUDDHIST CALENDAR)

BUDDHIST LENT BOUN ASALAHABOUCHA AND BOUN KHAO PANSA)

This is held at the beginning of the Buddhist Lent . During the next 3 month period, monks spend most of their time in prayer and meditation and are restricted from spending nights in temples other than their own.

4^th SEPTEMBER BOUN KHAO PADAB DIN

At the Khao Padabdin ceremony day, people visit local temples to make offerings to their dead ancestor, as well as to share in merit making ceremonies.

19^th SEPTEMBER BOUN KHAO SALAK ( ANCESTOR FESTIVAL DAY)

This is for offerings to be made for dead ancestors to obtain merit. Additionally, exciting long boat racing competitions are held to celebrate the river. This festival  is held during the tenth full moon of the lunar calendar.

19^th -20^th OCTOBER BOUN ORK PHANSA AND BOAT RACING FESTIVAL

VENUE : VIENTIANCE CAPITAL

At dawn, on the first day of this festival, donation and offerings are made at temples around the city. In the evening, candlelight processions are held around the temples while hundreds of colourful floats decorated with flowers, incense and candles are set adrift down the Mekong river giving thanks to the river spirit. The next day, a popular and exciting boat race is held on the Mekong River in front Vat Chan temple riverside.

11^th -17^th NOVEMBER BOUN THAT LUANG FESTIVAL AND TRADE FAIR IN VIENTIANE CAPITAL

This religious festival is held in and around That Luang Stupa, the National Symbol of Laos. It is a 3 day religious festival celebrated a full moon in November . It begins with pre dawn gathering of 10 thousands of pilgrims from Laos and Thailand at That Luang who listen to prayers and sermons chanted by hundreds of monks representing all the Lao wats. The festival ends with a huge fireworks display.

OCTOBER  NOVEMBER HANDICRAFT FESTIVAL

VENUE : ITECC, VIENTIANCE CAPITAL

Over 370 products have reaffirmed their participation at the International Trade Exhibition and Convention Centre( ITECC) . Events include display of silk, cotton, rattan ,wood, silver and pottery products . There will also be a traditional Lao food demonstration, handicraft contest and fashion show of both Lao clothes and Japan Kimomo.

2^nd DECEMBER LAO NATIONAL DAY

VENUE : NATIONWIDE