(KPL) UNESCO's heritage town Luang Prabang held a trade fair and boat racing festival in coincidence with the celebration of the traditional festival"Boun Horkhao Padabdin".
The organising committee for the Boun Horkhao Padabdin festival and boat racing festival held a trade fair before the boat racing festival, as previous years.
The opening ceremony of the trade fair was held on Tuesday, September7.
On sale at the trade fair were clothes, textiles and handicrafts made by local people, non-timber forest products, food and finished products.
Attending the opening ceremony were Deputy Party Secretary of Luang Prabang province Khamkhanh Chanthavisouk, Luang Prabang s Vice-Governor Saysamone Khomthavong, Chief of Luang Prabang district Singkham Phommalath, and relevant officials.
Falling on the 14th waning day of the eighth lunar month,"Boun Horkhao Padabdin" - literally the festival to put food offerings on the ground, Lao people put their food offerings on the gate or wall of their houses for their dead ancestors and spirits whose relatives did not make any merits or give no offerings for them. Placing of the offerings thus must be done very early of the day before the first light of the day arrives. According to traditional beliefs, spirits would be released to take the generous offerings dedicated not only to the ancestors of the merit makers but also relativeless spirits.
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Source: KPL Lao News Agency