Festivals and Events in April in Yunnan Province

Yunnan Festivals in April introduces ethnic festivals and activities celebrated in Yunnan, such as Water Splashing Festival （泼水节）of Dai ethnic group and Raosanling Ceremony of Bai people, ect. Our 6 Days XishuangBanna Water Splashing Festival Celebration Tour is planned for you to have an indepth exploration of the festival and ethnic culture.

April is one of the most culturally dynamic months in Yunnan Province (云南省). After the quiet of winter and the family gatherings of Spring Festival (春节), the entire province bursts into life with rituals, celebrations, food fairs, and ethnic pageantry. This month is sometimes called:

“Crazy April” (疯狂四月)

Because you’re never more than a few days away from a colorful festival.

Throughout Yunnan, you’ll find:
✅ Ethnic New Year celebrations (Dai, Bulang, Lahu, Wa)
✅ Massive open-air markets and horse races (Dali “Third Month Street”)
✅ Water-splashing carnivals that attract thousands of tourists
✅ Rituals honoring ancestors, tea trees, and legendary creatures
✅ Romantic traditions where young people find their sweethearts
✅ Folk sports and culinary feasts

If you visit Yunnan in April, every prefecture has something unique happening, and it’s one of the most rewarding times to experience authentic local life.

Qingming Festival (清明节)

April 4–6 (3-day public holiday; work resumes on April 7)
The Qingming Festival, also known as Tomb-Sweeping Day, is a traditional time for families to honor their ancestors by cleaning graves, offering food, and making ritual tributes.

April 3

The “Third Month Third” Ethnic Festival (三月三民族节)

Wenshan Zhuang and Miao Autonomous Prefecture (文山壮族苗族自治州)
Also called the Festival of Dragon Worship (祭竜节), this is one of the most important festivals for the Zhuang ethnic group (壮族), with thousands of years of history. For three days, Zhuang families reunite to hold mountain sacrifices, pray for abundant harvests, and celebrate with folk games like shuttlecock kicking, embroidered ball tossing, and singing. Young people see this as a romantic occasion to find love while singing antiphonal songs in nature.

April 8

Gourd Festival (葫芦节)

Lancang Lahu Autonomous County (澜沧拉祜族自治县), Pu’er City (普洱市)
The Lahu ethnic group (拉祜族) regards the gourd as a symbol of origin and good fortune. Traditionally held in the 10th lunar month, since 2006 the festival is celebrated during the gourd planting season in April. Dressed in ethnic attire, people gather in Mupa Mipa Gourd Square (牡帕密帕葫芦广场) to sing, dance, and share home-brewed rice wine and sticky rice cakes.

April 9–11

Sangkan Festival (桑康节)

Bulang Mountain Township (布朗山乡), Menghai County (勐海县), Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture (西双版纳傣族自治州)
The Bulang ethnic group (布朗族) celebrates Sangkan, meaning “welcoming the new year,” with vibrant ceremonies: sweeping the village, feasting on pork and beef, water blessing rituals, tea offerings, and singing Bulang songs accompanied by traditional instruments. Tea culture features prominently, as the Bulang are among the first tea cultivators.

April 10–13

Nayu God Fish Festival (娜允神鱼节)

Menglian Dai, Lahu, and Wa Autonomous County (孟连傣族拉祜族佤族自治县), Pu’er City (普洱市)
Known as the “Oriental Water Carnival,” thousands gather along the Nanlei River (南垒河) to catch fish in honor of the legendary God Fish, which, according to folklore, once descended to save people from famine. Festivities include mass fishing, releasing fish for blessings, drumming contests, lantern ceremonies, and spectacular performances of martial arts and dragon boat races.

April 10–12

China Wa Wooden Drum Festival (中国佤族木鼓节)

Ximeng Wa Autonomous County (西盟佤族自治县), Pu’er City (普洱市)
The Wa ethnic group (佤族) sees the wooden drum (“Kro,” 克罗) as a sacred totem that connects them to their ancestors and wards off evil. The festival features rituals such as pulling logs to make new drums, grand drum dances, and songs like Awa People Sing New Songs (阿佤人民唱新歌). Visitors can experience the thunderous drumbeats, reed-pipe dancing, traditional food, and nighttime bonfires.

April 13–15

Water Splashing Festival (泼水节)

Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture (西双版纳傣族自治州), Dehong Dai and Jingpo Autonomous Prefecture (德宏傣族景颇族自治州)
One of China’s first national intangible cultural heritages, this festival is the Dai ethnic New Year (傣族新年) and the most exuberant celebration in Yunnan. Rituals include Buddha bathing, dragon worship, water fights, lantern releasing, and antiphonal singing. Among the De’ang people (德昂族), a unique custom is washing elders’ hands and feet to express gratitude. Being drenched symbolizes receiving blessings for health and prosperity.

April 20–May 10

Zixi Mountain Cherry Festival (紫溪山樱桃节)

Chuxiong Yi Autonomous Prefecture (楚雄彝族自治州)
Held annually since 2001 in the Zixi Mountain Scenic Area (紫溪山风景区), the festival coincides with the cherry harvest. Visitors can pick fresh cherries, enjoy Yi ethnic (彝族) performances, participate in sports contests and culinary fairs, and savor Yi-style lamb soup hotpots.

April 23–29

“Third Month Street” Ethnic Festival (三月街民族节)

Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture (大理白族自治州)
With the saying “One street in a thousand years, a thousand years in one street,” this ancient market festival dates back a millennium. It is both a trade fair and a cultural event, featuring horse races, torch parties, music festivals, ethnic sports competitions, folk song exchanges, and bustling markets. Young Bai men and women also see it as a time for courtship and romance.

April 23–25

Nu Ethnic Fairy Festival (怒族仙女节)

Gongshan Dulong and Nu Autonomous County (贡山独龙族怒族自治县), Nujiang Lisu Autonomous Prefecture (怒江傈僳族自治州)
Known locally as Nairen Festival (乃仁节), this is the Nu ethnic group’s (怒族) grandest festival after Spring Festival. Celebrations center on the Fairy Cave (仙女洞), where villagers bring azalea flowers, offer sacrifices, and collect the sacred “Fairy Water” (仙乳) to ensure health and blessings. The festivities include singing, dancing, and sports competitions.

April 30–May 5

Mojiang Twins Festival (墨江双胞胎节)

Mojiang Hani Autonomous County (墨江哈尼族自治县), Pu’er City (普洱市)
Mojiang is renowned as the “Land of Twins” (双胞之家), where the unique twin phenomenon has inspired this festival. Each year, twins from around the world gather to celebrate with parades, cultural displays, friendly competitions, and the Hani “black smearing” (抹黑) revelry, symbolizing good fortune and happiness.

Extra Holidays by Region

April is also a month of extended holidays in many prefectures:

• Wenshan Prefecture (文山州): Up to 8 days off combining the Prefecture Anniversary, the “Third Month Third,” and Qingming Festival.

• Dehong Prefecture (德宏州): Up to 7 days off, with the Water Splashing Festival plus Qingming.

• Xishuangbanna Prefecture (西双版纳州): Up to 8 days off, combining the Water Splashing Festival and Qingming.

• Chuxiong Prefecture (楚雄州): Up to 7 days off with the Prefecture Anniversary and Qingming.

• Dali Prefecture (大理州): Up to 6 days off with the “Third Month Street” Festival and Qingming.

April in Yunnan is a season of passion, folklore, and celebration—a time when every corner brims with vibrant ethnic traditions and boundless hospitality.