Luang Prabang Arranges Special Lao New Year Activities
Source: Vientiane Times
Luang Prabang province has added more activities to Lao New Year ( Pi Mai Lao ) festivities this year as it focuses on promoting Visit Laos Year 2018 and attracting more domestic and foreign visitors.
For this year’s Pi Mai Lao in Luang Prabang province the organising committee has designed large tourism promotion banners to join the Miss Lao New Year procession on 15 April, which will highlight various outstanding tourist sites in each of Laos’ provinces.
The organising committee has also arranged several tourism promotion booths to let visitors know more about tourist sites in Luang Prabang province.
Deputy Director of the Luang Prabang provincial Information, Culture and Tourism Department, Ms Soudaphone Khomthavong spoke to Vientiane Times via telephone on Wednesday.
She said activities for Pi Mai Lao festivities would begin with a fair on 10 April at the That Luang Ground, which included traditional dancing and performances by popular local artis ts.
The Miss Lao New Year 2017 beauty contest is scheduled for April 11-12 with various food and drink stalls operating.
On 13 April, the elephant procession will set off from Vat Mai to Vat Xiengthong, and visitors can join the local food and textile exhibition at That Luang Ground.
On 14 April, a fair featuring a traditional textile show, plus local and provincial products will be set up on the main street between the old stadium and Royal Palace.
Visitors can enjoy a traditional sports competition; join in the watering of Buddha images for blessings at every temple in Luang Prabang province and go to the river beach to make sand stupas to bring good luck along with a Basi ceremony.
On 15 April, a textile exhibition at Phanom village, a tradition of the Tailue ethnic group, will be followed by a Basi ceremony for international and local guests.
Then, the Hae Vor (Buddha images and monks parade) will be followed by the Miss Lao New Year procession along the main street from Thatnoy temple to Xiengthong temple.
On 16 April, an alms giving ceremony will be held at Sene Soukkharam temple and climbing of Phou Si Mountain to pay respects.
