Description
This wild, noisy festival's purpose is to bring the rains back to the country after the dry season. To this end bamboo rockets are fired into the sky at the end of the celebrations, which are held in May on a date determined by the lunar calendar. Festivities occur all over the city. As with most Lao festivals, music and drinking play a major part, along with processions, folk theatre and general partying. The origins of the festival are pre-Buddhist so there is no religious element to it. Date: May annually.