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Events Festivals in Year 2003

Karen New Year

Independence Day 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

Kachin Manaw Festival (State Day Festival)
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.

Ananda Pagoda Festival Anada Pagoda festival will be held starting from 10 January to 01 February 2003. 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 a 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, 17 Janaury 2003.

Kaya State Day

Nar-ga New Year 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 subtribes of Naga, once fierce worriors in their bright and exotic dresses, celebrate with rice wine roasted meat and tribal dances performed with loud beating of drums.

Feast of Shan Harvest Day

Shan State Day

Mahamuni Ceremony 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 (09th Feb), 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.

Kyaik-Khauk Pagoda Festival Kyaik-Khauk Pagoda Festival will be held starting from 09 February to 17 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).

Union Day Celebrations arranged by the governement at People's Park in Yangon and across the whole country. Mostly early morning. All offices and markets are closed

Peasants' Day Held in honour of the country’s largest productive workforce.

Maw-din Pagoda Festival

Pakhan Ko Gyi Kyaw Festival Regional Nat festival like Taung Byone and Yadanar Gu.

Shwe Saryan Pagoda Festival 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.

Indawgyi Festival 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.

Zalun Pyidawpyan Image Festival

Baw-gyo Festival 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 and sell their products there. Many kinds of gambling are allowed during the festival days only.

Nyan Taw Pagoda Festival (Shwe Myin Tin Pagoda)
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.

Nay Win Taung Pagoda Festival 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.

Katku Pagoda Festival On 17th 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.

Pindaya Cave Festival It is held on 16th Mar to 18th 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 artisons and the festival market.

Tabaung Fullmoon Day Ceremonies are held at pagodas all over the country

Armed Forces Day

Shwemawdaw Pagoda Festival 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.
(bnot expensive one)

Water Festival 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.

Sand Stupa Festival 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.

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

Popa Ceremony Nat dances on Mt. Popa. Very crowded and difficult to get up the mountain.

May Day

Sand Stupa Festival - see 14 April

Sand Stupa Festival - see 14 April

Shwe Kyet Yet Event

Kason Fullmon Day 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.

Shite-thaung Pagoda Festival This pagoda festival will be held on 15th (Full moon day) as same as the others pagoda festival but they have one exiting thing is they have triditional boxing show.

Thihoshin Pagoda Festival This pagoda festival will be held on 7 Jun to 22 Jul, more than one month. There is festival market and also evening entertainments such as Zats, Anyeints and Movies.

Shinbinsagyo Pagoda Ceremony

Waso Fullmoon Day 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.

Fish Feeding Ceremony

Martyr's Day The day of the assasination of General Aung San and other ministers. Early morning (private) memorial services at the monument near Shwedagon Pagoda.

Shwe Kyun Pin Festival 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.

Taung Byone Festival Traditional Nat Festival. The most famous in Upper Myanmar. 01 hour drive from Mandalay. It lasts five days and every day has special programs. Festival where especially youngsters are merry and enjoy drinking and where people of all ages can join in the Nat dance. Ceremonies are mostly at night and it is very hard to get into the village.

Yadanar Gu Festival Traditional Nat festival on the Mandalay-Sagaing road. Approx. Half an hour drives from Mandalay. We can take a small sampan along the lake up to the Nat Shrine hall.

Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda Festival The biggest occasion of the Lake Inle. The images of the Buddha from Phaung Daw Oo are placed on a decorated royal barge and taken around the lake, stopping at villages for people to pay homage. The festivals is full of pageantry and colorful, and there are fun fairs, music, dances and boat races. Since this festival lasts very long, please check with us for exact dates and events.

Kyauktawgyi Pagoda Festival 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.

Myathalon Festival

Elephant Dance Festival 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 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. The festival is celebrated on the day before full moon day of Thadingyut . As the day progresses, it is getting more and more crowded because people nearby villages and as far away as Mandalay come to Kyaukse and join in the festivities.

Tadingyut Festival End of Buddhist lent. And 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.

Tadingyut Fullmoon Day

Lightfloating Festival

Shwezigon Festival Shwezigon Festival will be held starting from 01 November to 23 November. 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 tradional dancer, popular movies shown in open air. On full moon day ( 08th Nov), there is a commnual offering of food and various domestic articles to the monks from the nearby monasteries (ca. 600) lined up as in usual offerings.

Thanbodde Pagoda Ceremony 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.

Phowintaung Festival 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.

Fire Balloon Festival Taunggyi Fire balloons festival will be held from 16 November to 19 November and can watch the various competitions of hot- air  balloons. At day-time, see the competitions of decorated hot-air balloons in different shapes and forms of animals such as elephants, horse, cattle, pig mythical Hintha bird and hen etc. Also see the fireworks and firecrackers of hot air-balloon at night time.

Robe Weaving Contest The robe weaving ceremony is held on the eve of the day before fullmoon 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.

Shin Mar Le Pagoda Festival Celebrated at the time of the Tazaung Dine Festival. People throe with lotus flowers to the top of the stupa, located at the North entrance of the Mahamuni Pagoda, as homage to the Lord Buddha.

Tazaungdaing Fullmoon Festival 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 Buddishist 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.

Kaunghmudaw Pagoda Festival 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.

National Day

Shwemyetmhan(Golden Spectacle) Pagoda Festival This pagoda festival is as same as the others pagoda festival. But one interesting thing is during the British time, Mrs. Hurtno wife of the commissioner was relieved from her eye disease after she offered a pair of glasses to the Buddha. Local people who lives around this area they believe that whoever have a problem with eyes they make novena to this pagoda.

Karen New Year

Christmas Day