Festivals & Events

Between 25,000 and 50,000 were killed in the 1988 Spitak Earthquake, which leveled much of Armenia’s infrastructure, most notably in the cities of Spitak, Gyumri, now Vanadzor, and Stepanavan. Armenian Earthquake Memorial Day is recognized every year on the anniversary of the event on December 7 to remember the victims and aftermath of the earthquake. 

Every year, thousands of pilgrims make the lofty journey to the summit of Adam’s Peak, or Samanalakande (Butterfly Mountain). Starting from Poya Day (in December) and running all the through to Vesak Festival in May the following year, worshippers don their walking boots for the grueling 7,000-foot climb to the peak’s Buddhist temple.

22 Days of offerings paint the month of January with a sense of religious stoicism in Bagan. Monks wait in long lines as their alm bowls are filled with crops. Bullock cart-bearing pilgrims travel to the festival to peddle their goods, while market stalls and restaurants offer up delicious cuisine on the fairgrounds.

Christianity has been the state religion in Armenia since 301 and as such maintains their original day for Christmas: January 6. The holidays for this period feature a number of feasts, festivals, and observances that take place in the first week of January, kicking off with Armenian Santa Dzmer Papa (winter grandfather), who brings presents on December 31st. Christmas day on January 6 is a time when people bring the fire from churches to their homes, believing it will bless their families.

This seven-day festival is held to honor the baby Jesus in Kalibo, Alkan. Catholics attend mass and religious processions take place in the streets accompanied by traditional music and dancing. The final day, the third Sunday in January, sees a torchlit parade and a masquerade ball where the most colorful tribe wins prizes.

The Chinese New Year is by far the biggest and most widely-celebrated festival in Hong Kong and is celebrated over a few days. Highlights include a stunning flower market at Victoria Park, followed by a night parade the next day. Proceedings are brought to an end with huge firework display over Victoria Harbour on the final day.

Chinese New Year marks the start of the lunar calendar for Singapore’s vast Chinese community. Inevitably, the best place to see the celebrations is in Chinatown, which is lit for 15 days by bright lights and decked with traditional red lanterns. There are also traditional parades, live music, dance shows and cultural exhibitions.

This seven-day holiday is one of the most important in the Chinese calendar and is referred to as Golden Week. There are noisy celebrations with fireworks, family reunions where older relatives give youngsters red envelopes with cash, and lion dance performances. Most businesses reopen on the sixth day with spring dinners for employees.

This three-day festival is celebrated by Malaysian Chinese throughout the country. Houses, temples and streets are cleaned and decorated, families come together for reunion meals, children receive red packets of money and there are dragon and lion dances in the street. Fireworks are set off and there is a festive atmosphere.

Perhaps the most important holiday in Georgia, Christmas is a deeply important observance, as the republic is known for its ties to Christian tradition. Celebrated on the 7th January rather than December 25 due to the Georgian Orthodox Church’s old Julian calendar, on Christmas Day, many people choose to dress in special clothes and costumes, often with a vaguely St. George theme of flags and swords, and march through the streets. The unusual Georgian Christmas tree is made of dried wood shaved into long curly strips. Special church services are held throughout the country as well as various festivals for weeks before Christmas.