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2023 Tibet Festival Calendar

Dates of 2023 Tibetan Festivals are traditionally based on lunar calendar, the lunar calendar is calculated each year by astrologers from Mentse Khang (Tibetan Traditional Medicine Centre). Normally a year contain12 months, but the missing or addition of an extra intercalary month for astrological reasons is not uncommon. So the festivals dates are vary in every year. Generally Tibetan Lunar month is about two months behind the western calendar.

Most of the Tibetan festivals on the Tibetan plateaus are deeply connected with their strong Buddhist influence or rich ancestral culture. During the festivals, all the people wear traditional costume and perform different traditional dances and ritual activities. Festival is the best way to experience the breathing culture and tradition of the local and their ethnical affinity. Many Tibetan festivals are traditoinally held throughout the Tibetan calendar - some are nationwide and others applicable to a certain area only.

Name of the Festival	Active Place	2023	2020	2019
Tibetan New Year (Losar)	Almost all Tibet	Feb 21	Feb 24	Feb 5
Monlam Prayer Festival	Lhasa	Feb 24	Mar 9	Feb 9
Butter Oil Lantern Festival	Almost all Tibet	Mar 7	Mar 9	Feb 19
Saga Dawa	Almost all Tibet	June 4	Jun 5	Jun 17
Gyantse Horse Racing Festival (Gyantse Damag)	Gyantse	Jul 17	July 20	July 20
Tashi Lhunpo Thangka Display	Shigatse	Jul 4	July 4-6	July 15
Zamling Chisang / Samye Dolde	Samye Monastery	July 3	July 5	July 16
Chokor Duchen Festival	Almost all Tibet	July 21	July 24	Aug 5
Ganden Thangka Display	Ganden Monastery	Aug 1	Aug 7	Aug 15
Shoton Festival	Lhasa	Aug 16	Aug 19 - 26	Aug 30 - Sept 5
Nachu Horse Racing	Nachu	Aug 10 - 16	Aug 10-16	Aug 10-16
Lhabab Duchen Festival	Almost all Tibet	Nov 4	Nov 7	Nov 19
Pal Lhamo Festival	Lhasa	Nov 19	Dec 12	Dec 12
Ganden Ngacho	Almost all Tibet	Dec 7	Nov 30	Dec 21
Labrang Monlam Festival	Amdo,Labrang	Not Fixed	No confirmed	Feb 17
Lithang Horse Racing Festival ( Not permanent)	Lithang	Aug 1-7	Aug 1	Aug 1
Jye Kundo (Yushu) Horse Racing Festival	Yushu	July 25-30	July 25	July 25