Celebrations and Holidays

January 4 Independence Day; national holiday in memory of gaining independence from the British colonial reign. The celebrations last for a full week.

February 12 Day of the Burmese Union; national holiday including parades in Yangon and dances performed by hill tribes in traditional dress.

March 2 Peasants Day; national holiday with parades in memory of General Ne Win seizing power on the same day in 1962.

March 10 Dry Season Celebration; national holiday.

March 27 Day of the Army; national holiday with parades.

April Thingyan; traditional Burmese New Year celebration equalling the Songkran celebration in Thailand; during the festivities people douse each other liberally with water; in Mandalay the celebrations are the most exuberant. The festival is celebrated according to the moon calendar and therefore occurs on variable dates.

May 1 Labour Day

May Kason; mobile national holiday in remembrance of the birth and the first sermon of the Buddha.

July eginning of the Buddhist Lent; the exact date depends on the moon calendar. This date is preferred by Burmese and Buddhist men of the neighboring countries, who intend to enter monkhood.

July 19 Martyrs Day; national holiday in memory of the murder of Aung San on the same day of 1947.

October End of the Buddhist Lent; the date of the finale celebration of the Buddhist Lent depends on the moon calendar, as well.

November 11 National Holiday

November Tazaungmon; mobile celebration day, as it has to coincide with a fullmoon night; in that night there are competitions of unmarried young women in weaving cloth.

December numerous minor festivals in honour of various spirits.

December 25 Christmas Day