Main Festivals in Laos

• Water-splashing Festival/Laos New Year/Bun Pi Mai Date: In mid-April The traditional New Year in Laos is similar to the Water-splashing Festival and is the grandest festival among Lao folk. Lao people worship Buddha, bathe Buddha, splash water, give alms, pile sand and let go of life at temples, while splashing water and blessing each other at home and on the street, so that the pure water can wash away past diseases and calamities and pray for abundant rain and good harvest in the coming year, to welcome a wonderful new year. They also splash water on Buddha statues in temples. In Luang Prabang, people parade elephants, and release birds and fish.
• Visakha Puja/Buddha's Birthday Date: June 15 in Buddhist calendar This day (Full Moon Festival) is the day of the birth of Buddha Shakyamuni and the day of his attainment and nirvana. Early in the morning of the festival, believers offer fasting and sprinkling water to the monks to pray for their peace. Afterwards, people come to the temple to listen to the scriptures and worship Buddha, and offer prepared and woven stupas and other objects made of flowers. The monks then take turns to chant sutras for blessings.
• Makabucha Day Date: July in Buddhist calendar The Makabucha Festival originated in the Brahmin religion, and later evolved into the festival of Buddhism. According to legend, a long time ago, there was a famine in a certain place, people and animals died of disease, the plague was prevalent, people had to ask the Buddha for help. Buddha and 500 monks traveled 7 days and nights to this place, giving Buddhist teachings and sending monks to sprinkle holy water everywhere, people were saved. Since then, every July, a ceremony of Makabucha is held, when each village has to set up a bamboo scaffold, erect a bamboo stake in each of the eight directions of the village, and prepare a ball of thread, water, gold sand and other things. In July, when the weather is hot and epidemics are prevalent, people do not know why they are so unfortunate at this time, so they hold this festival to beg for the safety of people and animals.
• Boun Khao Phansa Date: From July to October The Boun Khao Phansa is similar to Dai Closing Door Festival in Xishuangbanna, Yunnan. It occurs during the period of concentrated rainfall, and for three months monks concentrate on enlightenment in the temple and are not allowed to go out without permission, and it is not customary to get married during this period.
• Bun Awk Phansa Date: In October Similar to Dai Opening Door Festival in Xishuangbanna, Yunnan, Bun Awk Phansa symbolizes the end of the rainy season. The festival is celebrated by holding parties on the eve of the festival and putting river lanterns on the river to make wishes and pray for good fortune. After the festival, monks can go out and the common people can start their marriage. Also, the Boat Racing Festival is held during Bun Awk Phansa, where canoe races are organized in the river and a mysterious snake can be seen surfacing in the Mekong River at night.
• National Day Date: In December On December 2, 1975, the National People's Congress in Vientiane declared the abolition of the monarchy and the establishment of the Lao People's Democratic Republic, with the Supreme People's Assembly under the chairmanship of Souphanouvong and the government under the Prime Ministership of Khaisan Phong Viharn. Every year, during the National Day, the provincial government of Luang Prabang holds a grand rally and celebratory performances at the Luang Prabang Stadium.
• Luang Prabang Film Festival Date: In early December Hold every year in early December, it lasts for more than a week, with free films screened at multiple venues throughout the city, showcasing Laos' understanding of culture and art to the world, basically with English subtitles.