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Laos > General Information > Events
In Laos, most festival are still celebrated on dates determined by the lunar calendar, so it is often not possible to give a fixed date in our Western calendar. In these cases, the month and the lunar event (e.g. full moon) are indicated in brackets.
| 1 January | International New Year |
| 13-16 April | Boun Pimai, the Laotian New Year Boun Pimai, the national New Year used to be celebrated on the last day of the waning moon in the fifth lunar month, lasting as much as 14 days. Since 1975 it has been fixed to 13-16 April. Boun Pimai is celebrated most festively in Luang Phabang. |
| 1 May | International Labour Day |
| May (full moon) | Visakha Puja, celebrated on the 15th day of the 6th lunar month. On this day Buddha was born, enlightened and has passed away. At the same time Bun Bang Fai (the Rocket Festival), a pre-Buddhist ceremony is celebrated. |
| July, and October (full moon) | The Festivals of the Rain and Fasting are Buddhist festivals. They take place between the full moon of the eight and eleventh lunar month (July, and October, respectively). |
| End of rainy season | At the end of the rainy season the festival of Boun Ok Pansa is celebrated. There are boat races on the Mekong. |
| November (full moon) | The That Luang Festival takes place at its namesake in Vientiane and lasts a week. |
| 2 December | Day of National Celebration |