That Luang Festival and Trade Fair, Lao PDR

During the full moon of the twelfth lunar month, Pha That Luang in Vientiane hosts the city’s biggest festival. Events include a colorful candlelight wax castle procession and fun fairs surrounding the stupa.

Boun Pha That Luang is the most meaningful festival in Vientiane Capital as well as in the Lao PDR. It is held 11-15 November during the full moon of the twenty-fifth lunar month. 

The festival starts with a colorful candlelight wax castle (Phasat Pheung) procession which starts the evening before at Vat Simeuang. The procession continues to the next afternoon from Vat Simeuang to Pha That Luang. People carry flowers, candles, incense and wax castles decorated with flowers and bank notes. 

People wear their best clothes for this procession and there is also a parade of the men and women dressed in various Loa ethnic costumes who dance and play traditional music and songs while approaching the stupa. The s-called wax castles have been a part of Lao lifestyle for many years, and bringing one to Pha that Luang on this occasion is believed to bring considerable merit.

The following morning, a huge crowd assembles at dawn at Pha That Luang to give alms to hundreds of monks who come here from around the country, and to play homage to the stupa. In the afternoon, everyone will gather on the esplanade for the traditional game of Ti Khee, which is played with a ball and long curved stick, resembling a game of hockey. The festival draws to close under a full moon when people from all over Laos will crowd around Pha That Luang for one last candlelight procession. There are also fire work displays to make the end of the celebration. During the Pha That Luang stupa festival, there are trade fairs, concerts and fun fairs held.
 (Tourism Laos)
*Source: Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office