The Lao New Year festival program for Luang Prabang has been announced, featuring a variety of activities for both visitors and residents to enjoy from 11 to 20 April.
The most important days are from 14 to 16 April, with events typically including a traditional market fair, an elephant procession, sand stupas along the riverbank, and the grand procession of Miss New Year from Wat That Noy to Wat Xieng Thong.
Below is the schedule of events:
Schedule of Events for the Lao New Year Celebrations in Luang Prabang
11 April
19:30, Miss New Year Pageant
12 April
19:30, Miss New Year Pageant
13 April
7:30, Elephant procession from Wat Mai to Wat Xieng Thong
14 April
7:00, Traditional Market Fair will take place between the Post Office and That Luang Field
9:00, Various temples will bring out their Buddha images for local people to wash with lustral water
13:00, Building sand stupas on Xaymoungkhoun Island in the Mekong
15 April
9:00, Government officials preside over traditional ceremonies of the Leu ethnic group in Phanom Village
14:00, Grand procession of Miss New Year from Wat That Noy to Wat Xieng Thong
19:00, Sprinkling lustral water over Buddha images at various temples around the city
16 April
5:30, Almsgiving ceremony and then climbing Phousi Hill to make merit
14:00, Grand procession of Miss New Year from Wat Xieng Thong to Wat That Noy
19:00, Naga and lantern parades descend from Phousi Mountain to the pond inside the National Museum, along with traditional Phalak Phalam dancing
17 April
08:30, The Prabang is paraded out of Hor Prabang to Wat Mai
10:00, Provincial leaders and the seven Miss New Year winners visit Ting Caves
18 and 19 April
8:00-23:00, Worshippers sprinkle lustral water on the Prabang Buddha image at Wat Mai
20 April
9:00, The Prabang is paraded back to Hor Prabang from Wat Mai
