Tibetan Festivals
Want to join in a Tibetan Festival?
General speaking, there are more than 30 major or minor festivals throughout a year in Tibet region. As long as you come here and stay in Tibet for half month in any season, you will have a good chance to come across a Tibetan festival and will be amazed by festal revelry of Tibetan people.
The popular major Tibetan traditional festivals recommended by our customers:
Top 1. Tibetan New Year
Date: 1st - 15th days of the first lunar month of Tibetan Calendar
Locally, Tibetan New Year, known as "Losar", is one of the most popular festival in Tibet. Different regions of Tibet celebrate the New Year differently. The first 3 days filled with family, friends, and traditions that could date back hundred of years. From 4th day to 15th day, Tibetans host the largest religious festival - Great Prayer Festival.
Top 2. Butter Lamp Festival
Date: January 15th ( Tibetan Calendar )
Tibet Butter Lamp Festival, also called Chunga Choepa in Tibetan language, fall on the 15th day of the first Tibetan month, marking the ending of Tibetan New Year Festival. It is celebrated for the victory of Sakyamuni against heretics in a religious debate. When the evening coming, the lamas will light the butter lamp which is made of different shape of Buddha figures, landscapes, pavilions, birds, flowers, etc.
Top 3. Saga Dawa Festival
Date: April 15 ( Tibetan Calendar )
Saga Dawa Festival is an influential religious festival in Tibet. Buddhists believe that Sakyamuni was born, became Buddha and attained heaven in April. In memory of the Buddha, Buddhists take ritual walks, worship Buddha, gibe alms to lamas and abstain from eating meat in the inner, middle and outer parts of Lhasa. All the activities last through the whole month.
Top 4. Shoton Festival
Date: June 30 - July 4 ( Tibetan Calendar )
Shoton Festival is one of the most popular traditional festivals in Tibet. On that day, Tibetan operas are performed and Buddha paintings are exhibited, as well as wonderful yak race and horsemanship display.
Top 5. Bathing Festival
Date: July 6 - July 12 ( Tibetan Calendar )
Bathing Festival is called "Gamariji" in Tibetan language. It is said by Tibetan legend that bathing at this period is beneficial to health, and the water in Tibet has 8 advantages: sweet, cool, soft, light, clear, clean, unharmful to throat, nor to belly. After bathing in the rivers, people recovered miraculously from their illnesses.
Top 6. Horse Racing Festival
Date: in July ( Tibetan Calendar )
The Festival is a unique festival in grazing area of Tibet, usually held in 7th month in Tibetan calendar. The most famous one is Nagqu Damxung Horse Racing Art Festival.
Top 7. Ongkor Festival
Date: in August ( Tibetan Calendar )
Ongkor Festival or Bumper Harvest Festival is an old festival in farming of Tibet held in each August of Tibetan calendar when crops are waiting to be harvested. Major fun activities include horse racing, shooting, dancing, and singing, Tibetan traditional Opera, stone lifting and wrestling.
2014 Celebration Date of Tibetan Festivals
| Festival | Date (Tibetan Calendar) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Tibet New Year(Losar) | Jan.1 - Jan.15 | Big dinner, new cloth, worship buddha, parties with friends & relatives |
| Monlam Prayer Festival | Jan.4 - Jan.25 | Grate prayer festival, pilgrims gather at Jokhang Temple in Lhasa |
| Butter Lamp Festival | Jan. 15 | Fires are lit on roofs; lamps in windows |
| Pilgrim Festival | Apr.15 | Important month for pilgrims |
| Saga Dawa Festival | Apr. 15 | ritual walks, worship Buddha, gibe alms to lamas and abstain from eating meat in Lhasa |
| Hanging of the Thangka | May 14 - 16 | A giant thangka is hung at Tashilunpo in Shigatse |
| Incense Festival | May 15 | Tibetan people dress up and party to drive away ghosts and spirits. |
| Buddha's Sermon | June 4 | A feast is held to commemorate Buddha's first sermon |
| Shoton Festival | June 30 - July 4 | Tibetan operas are performed and Buddha paintings are exhibited, wonderful yak race and horsemanship display |
| Bathing Festival | July 6 - July 12 | Tibet people go to the river to wash themselves and their clothes for good health |
| Horse Racing Festival | In July | It is a unique festival in grazing area of Tibet |
| Ongkor Festival | In August | horse racing, shooting, dancing, and singing, Tibetan traditional Opera, stone lifting and wrestling |
| Tsong Khapa Memorial | Oct.25 | Memorial festival of Tsong Khapa's death, fires lighting on the roofs of Monasteries |
| Banishing Evil Spirits | Dec.29 | A "Devil Dance" is held to drive out all evils from the old year to prepare for new year |
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