Festival of the Dead

Frommers says this festival is in Sept every year. Does anyone know details?

Festival of the Dead

Never heard of this festival and neither has the missus.

Festival of the Dead

This is %26#39;Horkhao padap din%26#39;and is one of the most important Lao festivals. It is celebrated in every temple and village throughout Laos.

Because the the Lao calendar is based on the lunar cycle, the exact date of the festival (and most other festivals)changes every year relative to the European calendar. This year, the main festival was held on Saturday, 30th. August, with the two days before used for preparation.

The belief behind the festival is that, once a year, the spirits of dead ancestors come back and take offerings of food prepared by their descendants. On the day of the ceremony, people go to the temple as early as 3 a.m.to deliver the food prepared the day before. The food and other offerings are wrapped in banana leaves, placed in decorated areas of the temple grounds and the dead ancestors are invited to come and eat. In Vientiane, the most important ceremony is held in Wat Inpeng.

IF that is what the op is refering to, then this makes sense. I have NEVER heard it called ';Festival of the Dead'; before and neither has any of my Laos family.

streamreader