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
Ancestor Worship Festival of Achang Ethnic Minority in Yunlong County, Dali
Basic Introduction of the Festival Chinese Name: 大理云龙县阿昌族祭祖 English Name: Ancestor Worship Festival of Achang Ethnic Minority in Yunlong County, Dali Location: 大理云龙县漕涧镇仁山村丹梯阿昌族文化广场/Dali Yunlong County Caojian Town Renshan Village DanTi...
Tianchi Lake Pear Blossom Festival in Yunlong County, Dali
Overview Chinese Name: 大理云龙县天池万亩梨花节 English Name: Tianchi Lake Pear Blossom Festival in Yunlong County, Dali Location: Yunlong County, Dali Prefecture The Ancestor Worship Festival, celebrated by the Achang ethnic...
Eid al-Fitr Festival of Hui Ethnic Minority in Eryuan County, Dali
Overview Chinese Name: 洱源县回族开斋节 English Name: Eid al-Fitr Festival of Hui Ethnic Minority in Eryuan County, Dali Location: Eryuan County, Dali Prefecture Eid al-Fitr, known as “开斋节” (Kaizhaijie) in...
Torch Festival & Mule and Horse Trade Fair in Eryuan County, Dali
Basic Introduction Chinese Name: 洱源县火把节物资交流会/火把节骡马交流大会 English Name: Torch Festival & Mule and Horse Trade Fair in Eryuan County, Dali Location: Eryuan County, Dali The Torch Festival and Mule and...
Qingyuan Cave Singing Festival in Eryuan County, Dali
Introduction of The Festival Chinese Name: 洱源县凤羽镇清源洞歌会 English Name: Qingyuan Cave Singing Festival in Eryuan County, Dali Location: Qingyuan Cave of Eryuan County. The so-called Qingyuan Cave is a...
Jiuqitai Outdoor Hot Spring Bath Festival in Eryuan County, Dali
Introduction of The Festival Chinese Name:洱源县九气台露天温泉春浴节 English Name: Jiuqitai Outdoor Hot Spring Bath Festival in Eryuan County, Dali Er’yuan is rich in geothermal resources and is known as the...
Transplanting Rice Competition in Eryuan County, Dali
Chinese Name:洱源县田家乐/秧赛会/撒直 English Name: Transplanting Rice Competition in Eryuan County, Dali “田家乐”又称“秧赛会”，白语叫“撒直”。流行于洱源县凤羽镇各自然村. “田家乐”演出在每年农历五月，栽完秧以后，在各村广场举行-时间以各地栽插先后而异，有时也应邀到邻近村寨表演组织者一般由生产能手担任，称“秧官”或“副秧官”，“秧官”负责统筹安排“秧赛会”人员放水、犁田、耙田、拔秧、栽秧 ...
Naochunwang Festival in Eryuan County, Dali
The Introduction of the Festival Chinese Name: 洱源县洱源县凤羽镇闹春王正月 English Name: Naochunwang Festival in Eryuan County, Dali Location: Eryuan COunty, Dali Prefecture In Fengyu Township, Eryuan County, there are two...
Sanying Agricultural Products Exchange Fair in Eryuan County, Dali
Chinese Name:洱源县三营镇庄稼会/树花会 English Name: Sanying Agricultural Products Exchange Fair in Eryuan County, Dali Sanying Agricultural Products Exchange Fair also named Zhuangjiahui or Shuhuahui, is held in Sanying Town of...
Bajie Agricultural Products Exchange Fair in Eryuan County, Dali
Chinese Name:洱源县邓川镇沙坝街物资交流会(渔潭会) English Name: Bajie Agricultural Products Exchange Fair (Yutanhui Trade Fiar) in Eryuan County, Dali https://baike.baidu.com/item/渔潭会/953712...
Haideng Lantern Festival or Haidenghui of Cibihu Lake in Eryuan County, Dali
Introduction of The Festival Chinese Name:洱源县茈碧湖海灯会 English Name: Haideng Lantern Festival or Haidenghui of Cibihu Lake in Eryuan County, Dali Location: Eryuan County, Dali Prefecture Every year on the 23rd...
Cibihu Pear Blossom Festival in Eryuan County, Dali
Overview Chinese Name: 洱源县茈碧湖梨花节 English Name: Cibihu Pear Blossom Festival in Eryuan County, Dali Location: Eryuan County, Dali Prefecture The Cibihu Pear Blossom Festival, celebrated annually in Eryuan County...
