Damar Festival (Gyantse Horse Racing Festival) in Every April

Gyantse ancient town is a world famous historic and cultural town in Tibet. It attracts numerous tourists all around the world with its beautiful scenery, rich cultural sites, and the heroic performance of the Tibetan people fighting against invasion. Every April in the Tibetan calendar, the grandest "Damar Festival" will be held in this place by local Tibetan people. Damar means horse racing and archery, a popular traditional activity on the plateau. Gyantse is the place that first held such festival, making the "Damar Festival" the best one for others to enjoy horse racing and archery with various racing activities, strong ethnic characteristics, and unique local customs.

Damar Festival

The main activities in Damar Festival are horse racing and archery contests for people to commemorate the prince of Dharma. It started in the 1400s and spread over to Lhasa, Changtang, Gongbo, etc. And that's also the main reason why it can continue to the present day. Every year, Tibetan people will rush into Gyantse in all kinds of costumes with ethnic features for Damar Festival in the fourth lunar month of the Tibetan calendar. They will pitch kinds of tents around the site to enjoy the festival. Contests include horse racing and archery contests. But there are also other activities, such as wrestling, Tibetan opera, music and dancing, track and field, and ball games.

There are 8 competitors in the final. On the day, they will wear costumes in bright colors, waiting for the wave of the signal flag. And other people will sit on the grassland, talking with each other and waiting for the beginning of the final race. After the first competitor reaches the final line, his relatives, friends and followers will step forward to congratulate him by presenting a hada. And all people around them will share their happiness together.

Before nightfall, young people, as well as elder people and children will circle around to dance “Northern Tibet Prairie Dance”. All of them will be happy and enjoy the gatherings. If you are lucky to be here with those Tibetan people for this Damar Festival, you will definitely dance and single with them to link with each other.