In Myanmar, every month (based on the Myanmar calendar) has at least one festival.Myanmar calendar starts Tagoo (April) and serial Myanmar months are:
- Tagoo (April)
- Kason (May)
- Nayone (June)
- Waso (July)
- Wagaung (August)
- Tawthalin (September)
- Thadingyut (October)
- Tasaungmone (November)
- Natdaw (December)
- Pyatho (January)
- Tabodwe (February)
- Tabbaung (March)
Thingyan Festival ( Place: Throughtout Myanmar Time: April )
Thingyan festival, celebrated over three or four days around the middle of the month, is a joyous and exceedingly wet occasion. Since ancient reign of Myanmar Kings, celebrate the Water Festival till now and Myanmar National Sacrosanct Flower “Padauk” blooms only in this month. The festival is held prior to Myanmar New Year in order to cleanse away evil deeds of the past year with water.
Kasone Watering Festival ( Place: Throughout Myanmar Time: May )
This festival is water pouring ceremony at the foot of which Bodhi Tree during the hot season. This has become an integral part of Myanmar culture and on every full-moon day of Kason, Buddhist people hold a grand procession to the pagodas to pour scented water.
Taungbyone Nat PweFestival(Place: Taungbyone (Mandalay) Time: August )
This festival is held for 3 days and is the major gathering spot for two important “Nat” spiritual. The people from all over Myanmar, comes to this special festival and offer their donations and enjoy themselves with the blessings of the two spirits each year. They pray for prosperity, Fame and luck for the next coming year.
YadanaGu Nat Pwe Festival( Palace: Amarapura (Mandalay) Time: October )
This is known as mother of TaunbyoneFestival . It is the most enjoyable festival because of its rowing boat trip to the site a cross a nearby lake.
Thadingyut Light Festival ( Place: Throughtout Myanmar Time: October )
To mark the end of the Buddhist lent, and the Anniversary of Bddha’s Return from his celestial abode. So throughout the country are illuminations three days festival with colorful light. And also pay thanks and homage to parents, teachers and elders, asking pardon for whatever misdeeds they might have committed.
PaungdawOo Pagoda Festival ( Place: Inle Lake Time: October )
PaungdawOo Pagoda festival is taken, the 4 Buddha Statues from PhaungDawOo Pagoda around the lake on a golden gilded Karaweik royal barge, from one village to another. It is held for 18 days usually falls in October. Amazing leg- rowing boat races are held throughout the festival and it is a time of great pleasure for both residents and guests.
Kyaikhtiyo Pagoda Festival ( Place: Kyaikhto Pagoda-Mon State Time: October )
Celebrate on the full moon day of Thadingyut, locals offer 9000 candles and 9000 flowers that are ceremoniously lit at midnight to the Buddha. Next morning rice, sweets and others snacks are offered.
Elephant Dance Festival ( Place: Kyaukse – Mandalay Time: October )
The Elephant Dance Festival is a unique event celebrates each year at Kyaukse, near Mandalay. A huge but light elephant figure is made with bamboo and paper. Two men take their place inside the figure and dance in rhythm.People from far and near come to Kyaukse for this Festival.
Hot Air Balloon Festival ( Place: Taunggyi Time: November )
On this special occasion, people enjoy fun and merriment by holding firework-launching competitions. The firework is in the form of rockets. There is also hot balloons competitions on the day and night occasions. Day balloons are usually in the form of Pagodas, and animals such as elephant, dragon or ducks while the night balloons usually in the shape of rugby ball, huge elongated paper balls with small lighted multicolored paper lanterns hung around their sides and balloons would sing along fireworks and fire sticks which are set off mid-air fireworks.
Ananda Pagoda Festival ( Place: Bagan Time: January )
This festival is sanctified for the Ananda temple. On the full moon day, bowls filled with crops are offered to Buddhist monks. People from the Bagan area come in caravans of bullock carts in the pagoda compound, camp under the shady trees for the duration of the festival. Many vendors and shops sell traditional Myanmar foods and snacks.
Naga Festival ( Place: Sagaing Region Time: January )
The Naga are from Chin State but this festival place falls in the Sagaing Region. They pray for abundant crops and domestic animals and to have good weather. The Naga people wear bright and exotic traditional clothing and celebrate with rice wine, roasted meat and tribal dances accompanies by the loud beating of drums.
Mahamuni Festival ( Place: Mandalay Time: February
This Festival usually celebrates for 2 days. Contest to make glutinous rice, are held on the pagoda's platform. During this festivalmore than thousandof people from all over the country make the pilgrimage to the Mahamuni Pagoda. Many vendors sell local products and foods.
Kekku Pagoda Festival ( Place: Taunggyi Time:March )
The festival normally begins two or three days in advance of the full moon but be sure to arrive before dawn on the full moon day. In festival the native Pa-O peoples dressed in their traditional black outfits, gaily decorated trays bearing for morning food offering is carried out.
Pindaya Pagoda Festival ( Place: Pindaya – Shan State Time: March )
The festival starts seven days before the full moon day and thousands of devotees come from villages around the Pindaya area to the cave. A kind of Pagoda mall is set up at the food of the hill, under big shady Banyan trees to sell local products. All different of tribes in this area with colorful costumes participate.