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.
The 2023 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: 07:30, Elephant procession from Wat Mai to Wat Xieng Thong.
14 April: 07:00, Traditional Market Fair will take place between the Post Office and That Luang Field.
09:00, 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: 09:00, 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: 05:30, Alms giving 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: 08:00-23:00, Worshippers sprinkle lustral water on the Prabang Buddha image at Wat Mai.
20 April: 09:00, The Prabang is paraded back to Hor Prabang from Wat Mai.
Source: Laotian Times.
