Tibetan Festival Calendar
The Tibetans are a multi-festival people, and according to the Tibetan calendar (similar to the Han lunar calendar), there are festivals almost every month. While enjoying Tibet's beautiful and magnificent natural scenery and fascinating historical sites, tourists can experience another side of the life of the warm and hospitable Tibetan people.
Tibetan traditional festival time and date inquiry form
| Festival | Venue | Events | Year 2018 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tibetan New Year | All Tibetan areas | Tibetan New Year is characterized especially by dancing, music, and a general spirit of merrymaking. |
Feb. 27 .2017 2018 Pending |
| The Monlam Prayer Festival | Jokhang Monastery | Monks perform traditional Tibetan Buddhist dances during Monlam Prayer Festival, and cakes are made with butter sculptures. |
Mar. 4 .2017 2018 Pending |
| The Butter Lamp Festival | Lhasa | People sing and dance throughout the night, and thousands of lights are kept burning until dawn. |
Mar. 12
.2017 2018 Pending |
| The Thangka Unveiling at Tashilunpo | Tashilunpo Monastery | The big Thangka with a Buddha image on it is unfolded, and the people all gather in front of the Thangka to pray. |
Jul. 9
.2017 2018 Pending |
| Zamling Chisang | Lhasa | Tibetans gather together to burn incense to worship Buddha. |
Jul. 9
.2017 2018 Pending |
| Saga Dawa | Lhasa | Saga Dawa is the peak time to worship Buddha for Tibetans, and a peak time for pilgrimages. |
Jun. 9
.2017 2018 Pending |
| The Gyantse Horse Race Festival | Gyantse | This festival is held in Gyantse, a county southwest of Lhasa with horse racing, Tibetan opera, ball games, etc. |
Jul. 20
.2017 2018 Pending |
| Choekor Duechen / Tukbe Tseshi | Lhasa | Tibetans wear festival clothes to celebrate this festival and walk around a mountain and lake clockwise. |
Jul. 27
.2017 2018 Pending |
| Samye Dolde | Samye Monastery | Monks wear festival clothes and masks, and dance to drive away bad things and devils. |
Jul. 9
.2017 2018 Pending |
| The Ganden Thangka Showing |
Ganden Monastery
|
A big Thangka with a Buddha image on it is unveiled at Ganden Monastery. | Aug. 7 |
| The Nagqu Horse Race Festival | Nagqu | An important event in northern Tibet, everyone dresses in their finest and most colorful clothing. |
Aug. 1
.2017 2018 Pending |
| Shoton Festival | Lhasa | A big thangka with an image of Buddha on it is unveiled at Drepung Monastery. People enjoy yoghourt together on this day. |
Aug. 21
.2017 2018 Pending |
| Karma Dunba (The Bathing Festival) | Lhasa | Tibetans take a bath together in the river to drive away illness. | Aug. 19 |
| Lhabab Duechen | Lhasa | Buddha is said to return to earth on this day. Tibetans burn incenses in monasteries and pray. |
Nov. 11
.2017 2018 Pending |
| Palden Lhamo Festival | Jokhang Monastery and Barkhor Street | The statue of the wrathful deity Palden Lhamo is carried at the head of a parade on Barkhor Street. |
Dec. 3
.2017 2018 Pending |
| Ganden Nga-Choe | Lhasa | People celebrate this festival by lighting butter lamps. |
Jan. 23
.2017 2018 Pending |
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