Dali Festivals and Events
Dali Festivals and Activities are very colorful and Dali is the best place to take a festival tour. There are 13 ethnic groups in Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture, namely, Han, Bai, Yi, Hui, Lisu, Miao, Naxi, Zhuang, Tibetan, Blang, Lahu, Achang, Dai and other ethnic groups. This part gives a brief introduction of festivals and activities in Dali, and tell travelers what to do when come to Dali.
Festivals in Dali
As the prominent ethnic minority inhabited in Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture, Bai Ethnic Minority created brilliant culture and customs, among which the unique traditional festivals of Bai people enjoy good fame and attract tourists home and abroad to visit.
Popular Festivals
- The Fishing Opening Festival
- Hungry Ghost Festival
- Dragon Boat Race Festival
- Xiaojizu Singing Festival
- March Street (Sanyuejie) Festival
- Raosanling Festival
Festivals by Regions in Dali
Dali City
| Date | Festival | Ethnic Minority |
| January 10 of Lunar Calendar | Benzhu Worship Festival | Bai |
| February | Flower Festival (Huazhaojie) | Bai |
| February 15 of Lunar Calendar | Tianfengshan Mountain Song Festival | Bai |
| March 15-21 of Lunar Calendar | March Street (Sanyuejie) Festival | Bai |
| April 24-25 of Lunar Calendar | Raosanling Festival | Bai |
Weishan County
| Date | Festival | Ethnic Minority |
| February of Lunar Calendar | Jiejingu Festival | Bai |
| February 8 of Lunar Calendar | Dage Festival of Yi Ethnic Minority | Yi |
| February 8 of Lunar Calendar | The Ancestor Worship Festival | Yi |
| February 8 of Lunar Calendar | Eryueba Festival | Yi |
| March 12 of Islamic Calendar | Mawlid Festival of Hui Ethnic People | Hui |
| March 12-18 | Weishan Snack Festival | Yi, Hui |
| March 29-April 1 | Maanshan Pear Blossom Festival | Yi |
| June 25 of Lunar Calendar | Torch Festival | Yi |
| July 15 of Lunar Calendar | Ghost Festival | Yi |
| September | Peasant Culture Festival | Yi |
| October of Islamic Calendar | Eid al-Fitr Festival of Hui Ethnic People | Hui |
| December of Islamic Calendar | Eid al-Adha Festival of Hui Ethnic Minority | Hui |
Nanjian County
| Date | Festival | Ethnic Minority |
| February 8 of Lunar Calendar | Yashen Festival | Yi |
| March | Tea-leaves Picking Festival | Yi |
| May 5 of Lunar Calendar | Sangwang Festival | Yi |
| May 5 of Lunar Calendar | Red Bayberry Festival | Yi |
| June 25 of Lunar Calendar | Torch Festival | Yi |
| July 15 of Lunar Calendar | Ghost Festival | / |
| November 25 | Wuliangshan Mountain Cherry Blossom Festival | / |
| November 25 | Tiaocai Dance Art Festival | / |
Jianchuan County
| Date | Festival | Ethnic Minority |
| January 15 of Lunar Calendar | Qingguniang Festival (Women’s Festival) | Bai |
| February 8 of Lunar Calendar | Prince Festival | Bai |
| February 15 of Lunar Calendar | Nirvana Festival | Bai |
| April 8 of Lunar Calendar | April 8th (Siyueba) Festival | Bai |
| April 8 of Lunar Calendar | Buddha Birthday Festival | Bai |
| June 15 of Lunar Calendar | Jianhu Lake Encircling Festival | Bai |
| July 15 of Lunar Calendar | Yulanpen Festival | Bai |
| July 27-August 1 of Lunar Calendar | Shibaoshan Folk Song Festival | Bai |
| December 18 of Lunar Calendar | Laba Festival | Bai |
Eryuan County
| Date | Festival | Ethnic Minority |
| January 14-18 of Lunar Calendar | Naochunwang Festival | Bai |
| March 12-26 | Cibihu Pear Blossom Festival | / |
| June 13 of Lunar Calendar | Qingyuan Cave Singing Festival | Bai |
| June 25 of Lunar Calendar | Haixihai Folk Song Festival | Bai |
| July 23 of Lunar Calendar | Haideng Lantern Festival | Bai |
| October of Islamic Calendar | Eid al-Fitr Festival of Hui Ethnic People | Hui |
Yangbi County
| Date | Festival | Ethnic Minority |
| February 8 of Lunar Calendar | Knife-ladder-climbing Festival | Lisu |
| March 19 of Lunar Calendar | Dage Festival | Yi |
| June 25 of Lunar Calendar | Torch Festival | Yi |
Yunlong County
| Date | Festival | Ethnic Minority |
| February 8 of Lunar Calendar | Bathing Festival | Bai |
| March 30-April 1 | Tianchi Lake Pear Blossom Festival | / |
| June 25 of Lunar Calendar | Torch Festival | Yi |
| December 20 | Kuoshi Festival | Lisu |
Activities in Dali
As a popular destination for visitors, Dali offers all kinds of recreational activities. You can always find the activities full of fun, which can kick back and indulge yourself in the happy atmosphere. Come to Dali, and take part in Dali Activities.
| Date | Activity | Location |
| Every Monday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m | Shaping Monday Market in Dali | Dali City |
| Every Friday | Shaxi Friday Market | Jianchuan County, Dali |
| January 25 | Dali International Orchid and Camellia Fair | Dali City |
| January 9 of Lunar Calendar | Dragon Lantern (Longdenghui) Festival | Nanjian County, Dali |
| February 15 of Lunar Calendar | Sanying Agricultural Products Exchange Fair | Eryuan County, Dali |
| February 19 of Lunar Calendar | Guanyin Temple Fiar | Dali City |
| March 3 of Lunar Calendar | Xiaojizu Singing Festival | Dali City |
| March 20 of Lunar Calendar | Lingbaoshan Mountain Pilgrimage | Nanjian County, Dali |
| May of Lunar Calendar | Transplanting Rice Competition | Eryuan County, Dali |
| July 3 of Lunar Calendar | Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva Assembly | Jianchuan County, Dali |
| August | Mule and Horse Trade Fair (August Fair) | Jianchuan County, Dali |
| August 15-21 of Lunar Calendar | Bajie Agricultural Products Exchange Fair | Eryuan County, Dali |
Dali Minority Festival Tours
- 5 Days Wa Ethnic Minority’s New Rice Festival Tour
- 6 Days Kunming and Chuxiong Torch Festival Celebration Tour
- 17 Days Yunnan Ethnic Minorities Festivals Tour around Chinese New Year
Keep Reading
- Baoshan Festivals and Activities
- Chuxiong Festivals and Activities
- Kunming Festivals and Activities
- Dehong Festivals and Activities
- Diqing Festivals and Activities
- Honghe Festivals and Activities
- Lijiang Festivals and Activities
- Lincang Festivals and Activities
- Nujiang Festivals and Activities
- Pu'er Festivals and Activities
- Qujing Festivals and Activities
- Wenshan Festivals and Activities
- Xishuangbanna Festivals and Activities
- Yuxi Festivals and Activities
- Zhaotong Festivals and Activities
Pinhuo Festival of Lisu Ethnic Minority in Xiangyun County, Dali
Overview Chinese Name: 大理祥云县东山彝族乡傈僳族拼火节 English Name: Pinhuo Festival of Lisu Ethnic Minority in Xiangyun County, Dali Location: 祥云县东山彝族乡小庄子村委会老里么村/Laolime Village, Xiaozhuangzi Village Committee, Dongshan Yi Ethnic Township, Xiangyun Count ...
Dragon Worship Festival of Lisu Ethnic Minority in Xiangyun County, Dali
Overview Chinese Name:大理祥云县米甸镇傈僳族祭龙会 English Name: Dragon Worship Festival (Jilonghui) of Lisu Ethnic Minority in Xiangyun County, Dali Location: Dragon Worship Festival in Xiangyun County is held in Lilame Village...
Kaishan Festival of Miao Ethnic Minority in Xiangyun County, Dali
With a history of hundreds of years, Kaishan Festival(开山节)is Miao ethnic minority’s traditional festival which is passed on from generation to generation. In 2016, Kaishan Festival was listed as...
Gndenghui Festival in Xiangyun County, Dali
Overview Chinese Name: 祥云县禾甸镇大营村白族赶灯会 English Name: Gndenghui Festival in Xiangyun County, Dali Location: Xiangyu County, Dali Time: the tenth day of the first lunar month every year The ‘Lantern...
New Rice Festival of Yi Ethnic Minority in Xiangyun County, Dali
Overview Chinese Name:大理祥云县米甸镇自羌朗村彝族尝新节 English Name: Changxin Festival or New Rice Festival of Yi Ethnic Minority in Xiangyun County, Dali Location: Boluo Village of Ziqianglang Village of Midian Town in...
Qiren Festival of Lisu Ethnic Minority in Xiangyun County, Dali
Short Introduction of the Festivtal Chinese Name: 大理祥云县祥城镇白龙潭村傈僳族七人节 English Name: Qiren Festival of Lisu Ethnic Minority in Xiangyun County, Dali Location: Bailongtan Village of Xiangcheng Town in Xiangyun County, Dali...
Knife-ladder-climbing Festival of Lisu Ethnic Minority in Yangbi County, Dali
Basic Introduction of the Festival Chinese Name: 大理漾濞县傈僳族爬刀杆 English Name: Knife-ladder-climbing Festival of Lisu Ethnic Minority in Yangbi County, Dali Location: Yangbi County, Dali The Knife-Ladder-Climbing Festival of the Lisu...
Torch Festival of Yi Ethnic Minority in Yangbi County, Dali
Overview Chinese Name:大理漾濞县火把节 English Name: Torch Festival of Yi Ethnic Minority in Yangbi County, Dali Location: Yangbi County, Dali The Torch Festival, celebrated by the Yi ethnic minority in...
Dage Festival of Yi Ethnic Minority in Yangbi County, Dali
Overview and Origin of the Festival Chinese Name:大理漾濞县鸡街歌会/彝族打歌会 English Name: Dage Festival of Yi Ethnic Minority in Yangbi County, Dali Date: Every year on the nineteenth day of the...
Hungry Ghost Festival in Dali
Chinese Name:大理亡人节 English Name: Hungry Ghost Festival or Pchum Ben Day in Dali Location: 大理市银桥镇鹤阳村 杜文秀起义回民遇难纪念 https://www.sohu.com/a/59613771_115118...
Dragon Boat Race Festival in Dali
Introduction of the Activities Chinese Name:大理海东镇赛龙船 English Name: Dragon Boat Race Festival in Dali Location: Dali, Yunnan province The Haidong Dragon Boat Race originated during the Tang Dynasty in...
Jianhu Lake Encircling Festival in Jianchuan County, Dali
Basic Introduction of the Festival Chinese Name:大理剑川县剑湖绕海会 English Name: Jianhu Lake Encircling Festival in Jianchuan County, Dali Location: Jianchuan County, Dali The “Rao Hai Hui” is popular among the Bai...
