Main Ethnic Minority Festivals in Guizhou
Guizhou is a colorful land known for ethnic civilization. Currently, 49 ethnic minorities living in Guizhou. These ethic people celebrate more than 1,000 ethnic festivals throughout the year. Attending a festival is a good and interesting way to experience the lives and customs of the local people. Minority people are fond of singing and dancing, so there will be many performances at festival times, and visitors will see the local people dressed in their most beautiful costumes and accessories. We list some of the main ethnic festivals for planning a festival trip in Guizhou.
| Festival | Time | Ethnic minority group | Add | What's on |
| Tiaochang | From the early first lunar month to the night day | Miao | Tongmuling, Huaxi District, Guiyang | Doing lusheng dance (a reedpipe wind instrument) |
| Genjin | From the early first lunar month to the 15th day | Buyei | Huangguoshu, Zhenming County, Anshun | Theartrical performances, and blowing suona horn (a woodwind instrument) |
| Tiaohua Festival | From the 5th to the 15th day of the first lunar month | Miao | Suoga Towship, Liuzhi, Liupanshui | Singing in antiphonal style, blowing lusheng, Tiaohua and blowing three-hole long flute |
| Lusheng Fair | From the 11th to the 19th day of the first lunar month | Miao | All villages in Zhouxin, Kaili City, Qiandongnan (Southeast Guizhou) Miao-Dong Autonomous Prefecture | Doing lusheng dance, sing in antiphonal style, and bullfight |
| Dixi Opera Festival | On the 15th day of the first lunar month | Buyei | Dazhai, Huaxi District, Guiyang | Performing Dixi operas |
| Lusheng Fair | From the 16th to the 18th day of the first lunar month | Miao | Lusheng, Zhouxi Township, Kaili City, Qiandongnan Miao-Dong Autonomous Prefecture | Doing lusheng dance, beating wooden drums, bullfight and horse race |
| Fangu Festival | On the first hai day of the second lunar month | Miao | Qinglang Village, Qingman Township, Kaili City, Qiandongnan Miao-Dong Autonomous Prefecture | Beating wooden and copper drums, and blowing lusheng |
| "the 3rd Day of the 3rd Lunar Month" Festival | The 3rd of the 3rd lunar month | Miao | Qinglang Village, Qingman Township, Kaili City, Qiandongnan Miao-Dong Autonomous Prefecture | Singing in antiphonal style, doing lusheng dance, and begging for the basket |
| Sister's Rice Festival | From the 15th to the 16th day of the third lunar month | Miao | Taijiang County, Qiandongnan Miao-Dong Autonomous Prefecture | Eating sister's rice, stepping on copper drums, and blowing lusheng |
| Lusheng Festival | From the 19th to the 21st day of the third lunar month | Miao | Panghai District, Kaili City, Qingdongnan Miao-Dong Autonomous Prefecture | Doing lusheng dance, bullfight and horse race |
| "The 8th day of the fourth lunar month" Festival | The 8th day of the fourth lunar month | Miao | Fountain of Guiyang | Blowing lusheng, singing in antiphonal style, and dancing |
| "The 8th day of the fourth lunar month" Festival | The 8th day of the fourth lunar month | Miao | Songtao County, in Tongren and Feiyunya, Huangping County, Qiandongnan Miao-Dong Autonomous Prefecture | Blowing lusheng, singing in antiphonal style, and dancing |
| Ganhuachang | The 5th day of the 5th lunar month | Miao | Jinpen and Nankai townships in Shuicheng County, Liupanshui | Sing in antiphonal style, dong lusheng dance, bullfight and horse race |
| Dragon Boat Festival | The 5th day of the 5th lunar month | Miao and Dong | Chengguan of Zhenyuan County, Qiandongnan Miao-Dong Autonomous Prefecture | Dragon boat race |
| "The 6th day of the 6th lunar month" Festival | The 6th day of the 6th lunar month | Buyei | Huaxi District, Guiyang | Singing competition, and going to the sing venue |
| Copper Drum Festival | The 6th day of the 6th lunar month | Buyei | Bawan Township, Liuzhi, Liupanshui | Doing copper drum dance |
| Caigetang | The 6th day of the 6th lunar month | Miao | Jinbao Township, Zhenyuan County, Qiandongnan Miao-Dong Autonomous Prefecture | Sing competition and going to the singing venue |
| Paoma Festival | On the mao day in the mid 6th lunar mounth | Miao | Guading, Kaili City, Qiandongnan Miao-Dong Autonomous Prefecture | Singing in antiphonal style, and horse race |
| Chixin Festival | On the second mao day of the 6th lunar month | Miao | Rural area in Panghai District, Kaili City, Qiandongnan Miao-Dong Autonomous Prefecture | Eating new rice and celebrating a good harvest |
| Papo Festival | The 19th day of the 6th lunar month | Miao | Xianglu Mountain, Kaili, Qiandongnan Miao-Dong Autonomous Prefecture | Doing lusheng dance, singing in antiphonal style and youfang for young people to look for their lovers |
| Chabaige Festival | The 21st day of the 6th lunar month | Buyei | Chabai Township, Xingyi City, Qianxinan (Southwest Guizhou) Buyei-Miao Autonomous Prefecture | Singing in antiphonal style, playing yueqin (a musical instrument), dancing, and ganbiao for young people to look for their lovers |
| Torch Festival | The 24th day of the 6th lunar month | Yi | Pugu, Pingdi, Shuicheng Haiping of Panxian County, Liupanshui | Jumping, singing in antiphonal style, doing swings, bullfight, sheep fight and bird fight |
| "Mid 7th Month Festival | The 13th day of the 7th lunar month | Miao | In the suburbs of Kaili, Qiandongnan Miao-Dong Autonomous Prefecture | Doing lusheng dance, bullfight and horse race |
| "Mid 7th Month" Festival | The 15th of the 7th lunar month | Buyei | Bawan Township, Liuzhi County, Liupanshui | Offering a sacrifice to ancestors, ganbiao for young people to look for their lovers, and recreational and sports activities |
| Mid 7th Month (eating new rice) | The second mao day of the 7th lunar month | Miao | Zhouxi and Qingman, Kaili City, Qiandongnan Miao-Dong Autonomous Prefecture | Eating new rice and taking part in assemblies |
| Lusheng Festival | The 21st day of the 7th lunar month | Miao | Panghai District, Kaili, Qiandongnan Miao-Dong Autonomous Prefecture | Blowing lusheng, sing in antiphonal style, and horse race |
| Double Ninth Festival | The 9th day of the 9th lunar month | Miao | Qingman, Kailing, Qiandongnan Miao-Dong Autonomous Prefecture | Blowing lusheng, bullfight and horse race |
| Miao New Year | The first yin day of the 10th lunar month | Miao | Guading and Zhouxi of Kaili City, Qiandongnan Miao-Dong Autonomous Prefecture | Blowing lusheng, beating copper drums, bullfight and horse race |
| Liping Dong Drum Tower Culture Festival | In the 10th lunar month (3-5 days), which is held once every two years | Dong | Liping County, Qiandongnan Miao-Dong Autonomous Prefecture | Sing pipa song, blowing lusheng, Caitangge, bullfight, singing antiphonal style, and performances of ethnic customs |
| Congjiang Dong Song Festival | In the 10th lunar month (3-5 days) | Dong | Congjiang County, Qiandongnan Miao-Dong Autonomous Prefecture | Singing Dong ethnic songs, experiencing life in rural areas, and showing ethnic customs and life style |
| Duan Festival | On the hai day of the 10th lunar month (the first day by the Shui calendar) | Shui | Sandu County, Dushan County and Duyun City of Qiannan (south Guizhou) Buyi and Miao Autonomous Prefecture | Holding sacrificial rites and horse race |
| Rongjiang Dong Sama Festival | In the 12th lunar month (3-5 days), which is held once every two years | Dong | Rongjiang County, Qiandongnan Miao-Dong Autonomous Prefecture | Holding sacrificial rites, blowing lusheng, sing "Ye" song, praising "Grandma", sing pipa song, etc. |
Note: If you are planing a Guizhou tour for an ethnic festival, please consult the local tourism bureau about the concrete time for the festivals by phone or email in advance.