Festivals & Celebrations in Gansu
Festivals in Qingyang Prefecture
1. Shehuo Festival in Xifeng (20th of the 1st lunar month)
2. The Lesser Kongtongshan Temple Fair and the Farming Culture Festival in Xifeng (3rd of the 3rd lunar month)
3. Gongfiu Hall Temple Fair in Xifeng (18th of the 3rd lunar month)
4. Jiulongchuan Peach Blossom Fair in Ningxian (12th of the 3rd lunar month)
5. The Northern Caves Temple Fair in Qingyang (14th-15th of the 3rd lunar month)
6. Memorial services at the gravesite of the ancestors of the Zhou Dynasty in Qingyang during Qingming Festival which falls on April 4,5 or 6.
7. Xinglongshan Temple Fair (3rd of the 3rd lunar month)
Matisi Tourists' Festival in Zhangye
It is held in Zhangye Prefecture's Sunan Yugur Autonomous County in mid-August every year. The festival features performances by song and dance ensembles from the Yugur and Mongolian ethnic groups, sports including horsemanship, trade talks, and tours of the area.
Flower Fair in Linxia
Held once every year and rich in local color, the fair is one of the most popular festive events in Gansu. It originated in folk legend. During the fair, hundreds of thousands of people including pilgrims, performing artists, and businessmen flock to Linxia to participate. Flower fairs are also held in other places in Gansu. The most notable of these are the fairs held in Songmingyan and Lianhuashan. The time for flower fairs varies from place to place. For instance, the Songminyan flower fair is held from the 26th to 28th of the 4th lunar month and the Lianhuashan flower fair is held from the 1st to 6th of the 6th lunar month.
The Summer of Dunhuang Art Festival
Dunhuang has long been noted for its songs and dances. The Summer of Dunhuang Art Festival is held at the Dunhuang Hotel from June to October every year. It features songs and dances characteristic of the Silk Road culture and local flavor. Two performances are given every evening. They are also performed at audiences' request.
The Xianglang Festival in Xiahe
The one-month Xianglang (Fragrant Waves) Festival is held between July and August every year. It features tours of the beautiful Sangke Grasslands inhabited by Tibetans.
Around the festival, the area enjoys pleasant weather. The sky is clear, the air is brisk, and the lush grasslands are garbed in brilliant wild flowers. The festival will enable you to get a glimpse of the nomadic life of the Tibetans and provide you with an ideal place to return to nature during your summer holidays.
The Grand Prayer Festival held at the Labrang Monastery
The festival is held from the 29th of the 6th lunar month to the 15th of the 7th lunar month every year. It is preceded by a two-day religious debate held from the 27th to 28th of the 6th lunar month.
Major festivals held at the Labrang Monastery during the 1st lunar month
These festivals are held from the 4th to the 17th of the 1st lunar month. On the 8th day is the festival of freeing captured animals; on the 13th day is the festival of Sunning Buddha, during which a giant portrait of Buddha is unfurled on a hillside facing the monastery; on the 14th is a festival that features religious dances; and on the 15th day is a large ceremony centered around the lighting of yak butter lamps. During the festivals, religious debates are also held.
The Fuxi Culture Festival in Tianshui
Venue: Fuxi Temple, Qincheng District, Tianshui
Time: The 13th of the 5th lunar month
Memorial service for Fuxi, exchange of opinion Fuxi culture, sightseeing, and trade talks.