Guizhou Festivals

Guizhou is a multi-ethnic province. In addition to the Han, there are 17 ethnic minorities such as Miao, Buyi, Tujia, Yi, Yao, Shui, Hui, etc., and each one has its unique festivals. Here are the introductions to the festivals celebrated by the ethnic minorities in Guizhou. 

The latest list of Guizhou festival is available by the end of this article.

• March 3rd Festival (Mar. 3 in Chinese Lunar Calendar)

March 3rd Festival is a traditional festival popular in Zhenyuan County, Guizhou province. March 3rd Festival from the first day of the lunar month, March 5th end, a total of five days. On the first day, housewives prepare new clothes for their children and husbands and prepare wine and dishes to welcome guests. The next day, the girl gives a half-basket of carp and shrimp to the lover, and the young man receives it and has a picnic with his companions on the hillside. On the third day, after picking green Onions and garlic seedlings in the garden with a basket, the girl will come to the hillside where the boys are waiting in groups. Give the basket to the most beloved young man, and agree on a time to return the basket. At noon on the third day of March, relatives and friends of the neighboring village came to visit and had a collective feast. On the fourth day, Lusheng Tang will hold a masquerade party again. On the afternoon of the fifth day, they will hold a send-off ceremony for guests.

• Sisters' Meals Festival (Mar. 15-17 in Chinese Lunar Calendar)

The Miao Sisters' Meal Festival, also known as the Sisters' Rice Festival, is a deeply cherished and vibrant celebration unique to the Miao ethnic group in Guizhou province, China. This festival not only marks a significant time in the lunar calendar but also serves as an occasion for young men and women to express their love and affection for each other.

Falling on the 15th day of the third lunar month, the Sisters' Meal Festival is essentially the local version of Valentine's Day, filled with romance and joy. It is during this time that Miao girls engage in the preparation of a special type of rice known as "sisters' rice." This rice is dyed in various hues using natural ingredients such as leaves, flowers, and roots, creating a visually stunning display that is both delicious and symbolic. The festival is also marked by a range of cultural activities. Folk songs are sung, dances are performed, and stories are shared, all of which contribute to the festive atmosphere. 

• Dragon Canoe Festival  (May 24-26 in Chinese Lunar Calendar)
  

The Miao Dragon Canoe Festival, a celebrated occasion deeply rooted in the traditions and customs of the Miao ethnic group in Guizhou province. This festival, which falls approximately 20 days after the traditional Dragon Boat Festival, is a time for joy, community, and the honoring of ancient traditions.

The highlight of the festival is the dragon boat races, which draw participants and spectators from villages and towns across the region. The boats, often intricately decorated with dragon motifs, are paddled by teams of strong and skilled oarsmen, who compete with fervor and determination to win the race. The atmosphere is electric, with cheers and shouts filling the air as the boats slice through the water. In addition to the races, the festival is also a time for cultural displays and celebrations. Folk songs are sung, traditional dances are performed, and food and crafts from the region are showcased. 

• April 8th Festival  (Apr. 8 in Chinese Lunar Calendar)

The Miao April 8th Festival, deeply rooted in the traditions of the Miao ethnic group, is a vibrant celebration observed in Guizhou, Xiangxi, northern Guangxi, and other regions. 

On this special day, men of the Miao tribe adorn their heads with green cloth and wear jackets with distinctive fronts, paired with trousers embroidered at the hem. Women are dazzled in embroidered silver dresses adorned with a range of silver ornaments, including silver bubbles, bells, and melon seed-shaped adornments. Their skirts, pleated and barely a foot in length, are complemented by gaiters wrapped around their legs. Miao people gather at the festival venue. The sweet melodies of reed pipes and flutes fill the air, accompanied by the singing of folk songs and the rhythmic steps of Miao dances. 

• June 6th Festival (Jun. 6 in Chinese Lunar Calendar)
  

June 6th Festival is the most solemn traditional national festival of Buyi people, which is mainly distributed in Guanling County, Zhenning County and Ziyun County in Anshun. The main content of the June 6th Featival is to worship the god of the field, and some places worship the god of the land and the god of the mountain. Early in the morning, the men of each family made a triangular paper flag and then took a live chicken to the edge of the field to offer sacrifices to the god of the field. The Buyi people in southwest Guizhou Province eat five-colored sticky rice on June 6th Festival.

• Torch Festival (Jun. 24 in Chinese Lunar Calendar)

The Torch Festival is a traditional festival popular in Yunnan, Guizhou, Sichuan and other Yi areas.

The origin of the Torch Festival is related to people's worship of fire, and its purpose is to use fire to repel pests and protect crops. During the Torch Festival, each village will set up fire poles with dried pine wood and pine nuts, and in front of each house put up a small torch; At the same time, people will carry small torches around the fields and houses for a week, and put torches and pine nuts in the corners of the fields. Young men and women will play, sing, and dance around the torches all night. During the festival, there are horse racing, bullfighting, archery, wrestling, tug-of-war, and other entertainment activities, and trade fairs

• Lusheng Festival (Sept. 26-28 in Chinese Lunar Calendar)

Lusheng Festival is a traditional festival of the Miao and Dong people in Southeast Guizhou.The timing of the Lusheng Festival varies from place to place. Some celebrations are based on auspicious days from ancient traditions, while others come from harvest festivities or myths and legends. Typically, the venerable old man of a village presides over the ancestor worship, and at the same time, each family in their ancestor worship. During the festival, girls from each village dress in traditional costumes adorned with silver flowers and ornaments. The festival features sheng dancing and about four or five days, creating a warm and joyful atmosphere. 

Two representative places of celebrating Lusheng Festival are Zhouxi Town in Southeast Guizhou (mainly in March) and Huangping County (in November).

• Miao New Year (Mid Oct. in Chinese Lunar Calendar)

It is one of the important traditional festivals of the Miao people, marking the end of the harvest season and the beginning of a new year. The date and method of celebrating the Miao New Year vary among different regions, but it is usually held in October or November of the lunar calendar, and the specific date is determined by local Miao customs.

People celebrate the Miao New Year by beating drums, dancing to the music of the lusheng, horse racing and sometimes horse fighting or bull-fighting.

• Dong New Year (around Nov. in Chinese Lunar Calendar)

The New Year of the Dong ethnic group is usually referred to as the "Dong Year" or "Eating Winter Festival". It is an important traditional festival widely celebrated in Dong ethnic settlements. Generally speaking, the Dong year may be held between October, November, or even December in the lunar calendar, with specific dates determined by local customs.

During the Dong New Year, every household will perform ancestral worship, thanking their ancestors for blessing the past year's harvest and praying for peace and good luck in the coming year. During the festival, Dong people will dress in festive costumes, sing and dance, to express their joy.

• Guizhou Festival List 2025