The major festivals of Tibet are:

Tibetan New Year: It is the most important festival in Tibet to say farewell to the current year and welcome for the new. In this festival Tibetan people began to prepare special foods to welcome the coming New Year. It is also consider as the time of the highly important Ghost Exorcising Festival. During this festival Tibetans make their house clean and decorate them beautifully and believe that cleaning and decorate will avoid the evil sprits entering the house in the coming year. They eat the special food for the New Year known as Guthuk. In the morning of the First day of the New Year local people will make butter lamps to be sacrificed to their gods and share good wishes on the second days with their relatives, friends and other people.

The Great Prayer Festival: It is celebrated from the 8th to the 15th day of the first Tibetan month. In this festivals Tibetan people debate fiercely the Buddhist scriptures and hold religious examinations for learners of the Buddhist scriptures. From all over the area disciples come to worship Buddha.

The Butter Lamp Festival: It is celebrated on the 15th day of the first Tibetan month. People go to the temple and monasteries to pray to a variety of deities, animals, plants and human figures. This festival is known as the happiest festival in Tibet.

Saka Dava Festival: This festival is celebrated on the birthday of Sakyamuni on April 15th. In this day many religious activities are performed. People walk out of their houses and circumambulate around the Jokhang Temple and the Potala Palace. On this day the roads are crowed by the people praying devoutly.

Shoton Festival: It is the most popular festival celebrated in summer. In Tibet this festival is known as the Yogurt banquet. In the early morning of this day people go to the Drepung Monastery to watch the unfolding of the Buddha. This is the ceremony for the purification of the sprit and the soul. This festival has also another name known as ‘Tibetan Opera Festival’.

Harvest Festival: This festival is celebrated mostly in rural areas to pray for a good Harvest. In the main day farmers become happy, they wear their best clothes and carry a harvest pagoda which is made of barley and wheat and beat drums and chant holy songs and dance. It a good feeling day of much merry making.

The Bathing Festival: This festival falls in the early part of 7th month. In this festival people take baths in the river. After bathing in the river it is believe that people recovered from their illness.  It is believed that river baths during this week will not only clean the body, but also wash away potential diseases.