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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 — All proceeds go to expansion projects for Wat Lao Buddhovath of Rhode Island.
After 4pm Free Admission.
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Wait, isn’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!
You may have MINDFULLY practiced on DAY 1 (April 11th, 2025) in your warm and comfy home!
PLEASE NOTE:
Saturday April 12th 2025; is Day before new year (Observed).
Sunday April 13th 2025; is Day of. (Observed)
Monday April 14th 2025; 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.
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** April 14th, 2025, it will be the Year 2568, but Lao New Year 2568 will be celebrated at Wat Lao Buddhovath of Rhode Island on May 10th & 11th of 2025.
How is Lao New Year Celebrated in Rhode Island?
Here at the temple, located in a temperate, cold environment, washing of monks (Hod Phra) and festival goers for the water festival, it has been wisely pushed to warmer months so that everyone can participate in comfort.
Saturday 05.10.2025 — Rhode Island) Miss Lao New Year Pageantry
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 :
INSIDE: main Anumodāna Sālā Hall donating Saṅghadāna to the monks and receiving blessings by placing food into alms-bowls at the . 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 (Hod Phra) with blessed water.
OUTSIDE: 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 the boy wins, then God will lose his head. If the 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.
“Water fights” (Hod Nam Langk) can occur at any time! So enjoy the gesture of washing aways your previous year's misfortunes/karma.
Sunday 05.11.2025 — Rhode Island) Miss Lao New Year Pageantry Winners’ Parade
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 of all contestants.