Myanmar Festivals

January

 (30-Dec to 21-Jan) Ananda Pagoda Festival (Bagan)
Ananda Pagoda festival will be held starting from 30 December 2003 to 21 January 2004. There are evening entertainments such as Zats: a variety of dance, song, short and long plays, Anyeints: a performance of a few hours in which number of jokers caricature current situations and or person strung together by a traditional dancer, popular movies shown in open air. It is also popular sales fair where all kinds of goods, some of them are locally produced are sold. The most interesting aspect of this festival is the caravan of bullock-carts in the pagoda compound, camp under the shady trees. It is very crowded around the fullmoon day, 06 January 2003. 

(1-Jan) Kaya State Day (Kaya State)

(4-Jan) Independence Day (The whole country)
Celebrations arranged by the Government at People's Park in Yangon and across the whole country. Ceremonies are very early at 04:20 AM and can usually not be attended by the public. Mostly early morning. All offices and markets are closed

(9-Jan to 10-Jan) Kachin Manaw Festival (State Day Festival) Kachin State
Kachin State Day is on 10 Jan. The festival will be held one day ahead of State Day. But they celebrate once in 4th year or 10th year. Please check with us whether celebrate or not.

 

(14-Jan to 15-Jan) Nar-ga New Year (Chin State)
The New Year is celebrated form January 14 to 15. On 14th, an opening ceremony is held in the morning and in the evening; there is traditional dance with bonfires. On New Year day they have a competition of traditional sports, and gathering of sub tribes of Naga, once fierce warriors in their bright and exotic dresses, celebrate with rice wine roasted meat and tribal dances performed with loud beating of drums.

February

(23-Jan) Feast of Shan Harvest Day (Shan State)

(24-Jan) Shan State Day (Shan State)

(29-Jan to 5-Feb) Mahamuni Ceremony (Mandalay)
01st -09th waxing day, ceremony in which a number of monks chant Buddhist scriptures non-stop. 07th waxing day till fullmoon day: the real festival days with evening entertainment such as Zats (a variety of dance, song and short & long plays), Anyeints ( a performance of a few hours in which a number of "jokers" ( usually four) caricature current situations and /or persons strung together by a traditional dancer) and popular movies shown in open air. In the day time, there are many stalls selling various kinds of Myanmar snacks displayed in continuous rows of long tables.On the 08th waxing day (29 Jan), there is a communal offering of food (dry rations) and various domestic articles to monks from the nearby monasteries (ca.100) lined up as in usual offerings.

(29-Jan to 6-Feb) Kyaik-Khauk Pagoda Festival (Syriam)
Kyaik-Khauk Pagoda Festival will be held starting from 29 January to 6 February. Most of the pagoda festival has evening entertainments such as Zats, Anyeints, some stage show and movies shown in the open air the whole night for every day. Villagers nearby come to the festival by ox-carts, which can be seen just before and on fullmoon day (17th Feb).

(12-Feb) Union Day (The whole country)
Celebrations arranged by the government at People's Park in Yangon and across the whole country. Mostly early morning. All offices and markets are closed

Shwesettaw Pagoda Festival
It is on the banks of Mann Chaung, Magway Division. Season starts 5th Waxing Moon Day of Tabodwe and ends only after Myanmar New Year in April.

March (30-Dec to 21-Jan)

(20-Feb to 5-Mar) Maw-din Pagoda Festival (Ngapudaw, near Pathein)

(20-Feb to 5-Mar) Pakhan Ko Gyi Kyaw Festival (Shwe Gu Ni Village)
Regional Nat festival like Taung Byone and Yadanar Gu. 
(between Pakokku Mingyan)

(20-Feb to 5-Mar) Shwe Saryan Pagoda Festival (Shwe Saryan Village,)
45 minutes drive form Mandalay on the way to Maymyo (near Hton Bo), You can also take a small boat on the Douhtawaddy River and visit the pagodas nearby, Myanmar traditional toys, boxes, baskets, mats made of dried toddy palm leaves are the best selling village products in this festival. 
Patheingyi Mandalay

(27-Feb to 5-Mar) Indawgyi Festival (Hopin, near Myitkyina)
Ca. 100 miles far from Myitkyina. Approx. Five hours drive up to Indawgyi. This festival is held yearly for ten days. One intriguing fact is that two sandbanks are washed up by the waves before the festival begins so that people can walk from the bank to the pagoda. People believe that one is for human use and the other is a passage for the gods. These two sandbanks disappear into the lake shortly after the festival. 

(28-Feb to 5-Mar) Zalun Pyidawpyan Image Festival (Zalun, near Pathein)

(29-Feb to 5-Mar) Bawgyo Festival (near Shipaw)
Once a year, only during the festival days, the locked up "four Buddha images" are brought out for display, worship and gilding with gold leaf. We can see tea-growing Palaung tribes from the hills and jewelers from Kyauk Me who try to sell their products there. Many kinds of gambling are allowed during the festival days only.

(2-Mar) Peasants' Day (The whole country)
Held in honour of the country's largest productive workforce.

(4-Mar to 5-Mar) Nyan Taw Pagoda Festival (Shwe Myin Tin Pagoda) 
Maymyo (Pyin Oo Lwin)
Similar to most of the pagoda festivals with most of the ingredients as in the Mahamuni Pagoda Festival. It is a famous pagoda festival in Maymyo. In addition, we can observe several Shan and other ethnic groups who come from the hills to sell their products. 

(4-Mar to 5-Mar) Nay Win Taung Pagoda Festival (Maymyo)
Same as Nyan Taw Pagoda Festival. Traditional Shan festival. It takes place in the northern part of Maymyo, about an hour's drive from the downtown area. 

(4-Mar to 6-Mar) Kakku Pagoda Festival (Kakku)
On 5th Mar - Alms offering is carried out by the native (Pa-O) people dressed in their traditional black out fits. There is the festival market also. 

(4-Mar to 6-Mar) Pindaya Cave Festival (Pindaya)
It is held on 4th Mar to 6th Mar. On full moon day (17th Mar) in Pindaya with offerings made by the native tribes such as Danu, Pa-O, Taung Yoe and Palaungs. Festivities include performances with roaming artisans and the festival market.

(5-Mar) Tabaung Fullmoon Day (The whole country)
Ceremonies are held at pagodas all over the country

(27-Mar) Armed Forces Day (The whole country)

April

(28-Mar to 9-Apr) Shwemawdaw Pagoda Festival (Bago)
Same with the other pagoda festival. There are evening entertainment such as Zats, Anyeints, stage show and also a popular sales fair where all kinds of goods, most of them are clothes, toys & kitchen supplies.
(not expensive one)

(12-Apr to 16-Apr) Water Festival (The whole country)
Myanmar people celebrate the famous waterfestival called "Thingyan". One cannot avoid of getting very wet because every one throws water at everybody. People drive through the city in open cars and there are stages along the street where people throw water. During this time, everything is closed: restaurants, shops, markets, Museum, etc. 

(13-Apr to 14-Apr) Sand Stupa Festival (Min Thar Su Quarter)
In three different Mandalay quarters stupas are built with sand within 01 night. Sand stupas are built up with five segments gradually converging to the top. Each layer of white sand is supported by bamboo-mats and -posts. The celebration dates are not the same and depend on the different quarters where the festival is held Mandalay.

(17-Apr) Myanmar New Year (The whole country)
This is the start of the new year and the end of the waterfestival. The whole country is very quiet and everything is closed. 

(17-Apr) Popa Ceremony (Mt. Popa)
Nat dances on Mt. Popa. Very crowded and difficult to get up the mountain.

May

(1-May) May Day (The whole country)

(1-May to 2-May) Sand Stupa Festival - see 14 April 
(Yahai Quarter Mandalay)

(2-May to 3-May) Sand Stupa Festival - see 14 April 
21st street, Pa Le Ngwe Yaung Qrter, Mandalay

(2-May to 3-May) Shwe Kyet Yet Event Shwe Kyet Yet, Amarapura 

(3-May) Kason Fullmon Day (The whole country)
Pouring water to the sacred Bo tree. No other special entertainment. Just only a small ceremony all over the country. Especially lots of crowds at Shwekyetyet Pagoda. 

(3-May) Shitethaung Pagoda Festival (Mrauk U)
This pagoda festival will be held on 3rd (Full moon day) as same as the others pagoda festival but they have one exiting thing is they have traditional boxing show. 

June/July 

(26-May to 9-Jul) Thihoshin Pagoda Festival (Pakokku)
This pagoda festival will be held on 26 May to 9 Jul, more than one month. There is festival market and evening entertainments such as Zats, Anyeints and Movies. 

(30-Jun to 1-Jul) Shinbinsagyo Pagoda Ceremony (Salay)

(1-Jul to 28-Oct) Fish Feeding Ceremony (Pwinphyu near Magwe)

(19-Jul) Martyr's Day (The whole country)
The day of the assassination of General Aung San and other ministers. Early morning (private) memorial services at the monument near Shwedagon Pagoda. 

(31-Jul) Waso Fullmoon Day (The whole country)
Start of Buddhist Lenth. Donation ceremonies of new robes and other temporal requirements to the monks all over the country at major pagodas, monasteries and even at homes. 

(17-Jul to 23-Aug) Shwe Kyun Pin Festival (Mingun)
Regional Nat festival. Can observe several kinds to ceramic wares from Singaing Kyaukmyaung are laid out at the bank of river for sale during the festival. 

August/September 

October

(21-Oct to 28-Oct) Kyauktawgyi Pagoda Festival (Mandalay)
It's situated at the foot of Mandalay hill, within a short walking distance from Mandalay Hill Resort Hotel. It is considered popular sales fair where all kinds of goods (some of them locally produced) are sold. . Next to that is the usual organization of events similar to other Pagoda Festivals. 

(23-Oct to 11-Nov) Myathalon Festival (Magwe)

(27-Oct to 28-Oct) Elephant Dance Festival (Kyaukse)
Yearly cultural highlight of Kyaukse, 26 miles to the south of Mandalay. The whole town competes, not only for the best "elephant dance"-performance, but also at the same time for the nicest-decorated "elephant". For the dance itself: two men get inside at life-size hollowed-out papier-mâché elephant figure and imitate the movements of a real elephant. Usually, there is a 'lead'-man who coordinates the movements of the dancers, assisted by a small number of musicians. 

(27-Oct to 29-Oct) Tadingyut Festival (The whole country)
End of Buddhist lent. Also the festival of lights. Pagodas, houses and streets are brilliantly illuminated. It is not only a time of joy but also thanksgiving and paying homage to teachers, parents and elders. 

(28-Oct) Tadingyut Fullmoon Day (The whole country) 

(29-Oct) Light floating Festival (Swaying)

November 

(19-Nov to 11-Dec) Shwezigon Festival (Bagan)
Shwezigon Festival will be held starting from 19 November to 11 December. There are evening entertainments such as Zats: (a variety of dances, songs, short and long plays), Anyeints (a performance of a few hours in which a number of "jokers" caricature current situations and or person strung together by a traditional dancer, popular movies shown in open air. On full moon day (26th Nov), there is a communal offering of food and various domestic articles to the monks from the nearby monasteries (ca. 600) lined up as in usual offerings. 

(21-Nov to 26-Nov) Thanbodde Pagoda Ceremony (Monywa)
Like other pagoda festival with the usual entertainment provided. Myanmar thanaka, sandalwood and woven textiles (cotton blankets and longgyis mainly) can be bought at the various stalls around the pagoda area. 

(21-Nov to 26-Nov) Phowintaung Festival (Monywa) 
Like other pagoda festival with the usual entertainment provided. Myanmar thanaka, sandalwood and woven textiles (cotton blankets and longgyis mainly) can be bought at the various stalls around the pagoda area.

(23-Nov to 26-Nov) Fire Balloon Festival (Taunggyi)
Taunggyi Fire balloons festival will be held from 23 November to 26 November and can watch the various competitions of hot- air balloons. At daytime, see the competitions of decorated hot-air balloons in different shapes and forms of animals such as elephants, horse, cattle, pig mythical Hintha bird etc. Also, see the fireworks and firecrackers of hot air-balloon at nighttime.

(25-Nov) Robe Weaving Contest Big Cities 
The robe weaving ceremony is held on the eve of the day before full moon day in one night. This is a competition for the weaving skills between teams of women to complete special saffron-coloured robes, called "Ma Tho Thin Gan" from the evening onwards at dawn. It is still done in the traditional way and lots of people enjoy watching the demonstrations. At dawn, the robes are offered to the great image of Lord Buddha and followed by the prize giving ceremony for the winners.

(26-Nov) Tazaungdaing Fullmoon Festival (The whole country)
Many locals of different status offer yellow robes & other items such as slippers, umbrellas, alms bowls and other domestic articles to the monks. This offering ceremony is commonly called "Kathein" and every local hope - at least once in his/her life - to participate in this event. Especially Sagaing attracts quite some crowds, as it is known as the Buddhist place of retreat per excellence in the country with a concentration of monasteries, nunneries and pagodas in that area. Many people (even from Mandalay) go and spend the whole night (preceding full moon day) in Sagaing. 

(26-Nov to 4-Dec) Kaungmudaw Pagoda Festival (Sagaing)
The most interesting aspect of this festival is the caravan of bullock-carts in the pagoda compound. Some of the carts carry their village products, such as hand-woven cotton cloths and cane mats, to sell them there. They like to camp under the shade of the trees. 

(6-Nov) National Day (The whole country)

December