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Cultural performances, food, music, & Miss Lao New Year Pageantry on Saturday and Parade for winner on Sunday.
$10 per person admission each day.
After 4pm Free Admission.
Wait, wasn’t Lao New Year in April? Yes.
Officially it falls on the second week of April every year, however New Englanders live in a cold climate, so we want to make sure people aren’t getting hypothermia during the water festival!
Be MINDFUL to practice DAY 1 (April 14) of this list in your warm and comfy home!
For April 2023, it will be the Year 2566
How is Lao New Year Celebrated?
Day one
April 14th is Day before new year (Observed). April 15th is Day of. (Observed) April 16th is in the New Year (Observed). For the last day of the old new year, Statues of Buddha images are cleaned with water and people throw water at each other, to 'wash away' any bad will that related to the past year.
Day two (Saturday May 13th) Miss Lao New Year Pagentry
The second day is known as the 'day of no day", a day that falls in neither the old year or the new year.
The beginning of the day sees the monks and getting blessings by placing food donations into alms bowls at the main Anumodāna Sālā Hall. Then the laypersons will do other ceremonial actions such as placing flags in sand piles to signify who they'll be surrounded by in their next rebirth. Also washing the Buddha statues with blessed water.
“Water fights” can occur at any time! So enjoy the guesture of washing aways your previous year's misfortunes/karma.
At the Hān Lavong (Entertainment/Cultural Field) the Pageant is linked to a story of a Brahma God who challenged a genius kid who solved a riddle. if boy wins, then God will lose his head if boy lost, his life would be forfeit. Ultimately the God lost and had his head decapitated. He had 7 daughters to keep and uphold his decapitated head from being soiled, which would result in innumerable disasters.
The winner of the Pageant displays their virtue of modesty and speech and keeping family values.
Day three
The starts identical to the previous day.
Then the parade for the Pageant winner and contestants driving a float around the temple's grounds where everyone (except monks) joins to make music and congratulate the winner and take pictures takes place.