Mengzi Festivals and Events

Mengzi City is dominated by Han nationality and ethnic minorities making up about 55.09% of the whole population. Ethnic minorities include Yi, Miao, Zhuang, Hani and Hui, etc, living in Mengzi for generations. Each ethnic group in Mengzi created its own festivals. Here below are some festivals and activities in Mengzi.

1. Huashan Festival of Miao Ethnic Minority苗族花山节

Huashan Festival in the annual grand festival for Miao people of Honghe Prefecture. Miao people in their festival costume get together, bullfighting, singing, dancing and climbing flower pole to celebrate this festival. Huashan Festival is honored as "The oldest valentine's day in China". Every year, on the third day of the first lunar month, Miao people are immersed in the sea of song and dance, celebrating annual Huashan festival.

2. Torch Festival of Yi Ethnic Minority彝族火把节

Yi people in Yongning Village of Yuguopu Town, Mengzi, celebrate this grand festival and hold grand celebration activities on the Yi Huadeng Ethnic Culture School Square. It is the grandest festival of Yi people. Every year on the 24th day of the 6th lunar month, Yi villages are all preparing a big feast and having a joyous gathering. At night, villagers light their torches and shout to march through the field. It means scaring away the devil and welcoming the harvest.

3. Huadeng Dance or Lantern Dance of Yi Ethnic Minority彝族花灯舞

Yongning Village, a small village inhabited by Nisu people(a Yi branch), got the name not only because of his history, but also a beautiful folk dance. It is Huadeng dance. Yi lantern dance has a special charm because it combines folk songs, dances and operas.

4. Sanbuxian Dance of Yi Ethnic Minority彝族三步弦舞

Sanbuxian Dance is widely spread in the Yi people of Lengquan town冷泉镇, Shuitian township水田乡, Qilubai Miao ethnic town期路白苗族乡 and Zhicun village芷村 in Mengzi, and is a group dance of self-entertainment. Yi people do the Sanbuxain dance when leisure & entertainment time and every festival.

5. Dragon Boat Festival in Mengzi

Dragon Boat Festival is a traditional festival in China. It was set on the fifth day of the fifth lunnar month to commemorate Qu Yuan. In Mengzi, dragon boat competition and Zongzi making competition are held in Nanhu lake park during the festival.

6. Apple Picking Festival in Mengzi蒙自苹果采摘节

There is a remote township in the cold highland area of north Mengzi. It is hometown of China’s highland apple, Xibeile Township. In order to improve on the popularity and reputation of Xibeile Township tourism, promote apple brand and harmonious development of apple production and sales, as well as boost the construction of rural tourism features, Xibeile Township held the first apple picking festival on August 19th, 2017.

7. Bull Fighting Activities in Mengzi

Bullfighting is a local traditional sport activity with the features of competitive, entertaining and ornamental, favored by the public. Bullfighting is usually associated with various festivals. Every festival, some ethnic minorities will hold bull fighting competition to increase the atmosphere of the festival.

8. Pomegranate Festival and Crossing-The-Bridge Rice Noodle Festival石榴节和过桥米线节

Crossing the Bridge Rice Noodle Festival and Pomegranate Festival are usually held in every September and October at the same time. The festival adopts a more novel form to fully demonstrate the charm of Yunnan from the aspects of vision, taste and hearing. The activities include the opening ceremony and welcome party, the award party for the cultural production skills of Mengzi crossing the bridge rice noodle, the online and offline sales of crossing the bridge rice noodle, as well as specialty fruit, cultural and creative goods exhibition and other contents.

9. Laozhai Monday Market老寨集市

Laozhai Miao Ethnic Town is located in the Mengzi's border with Pingbian County and Wenshan. Monday is the market day in Laozhai Miao Ethnic Town, many people flock to the market place to exchange goods and farm products at that day.

More Entertainments in Mengzi.