Ili Festivals and Events

Ili festivals take on with the characteristics of local minority culture and natural landscape. The following is some further information of Ili festivals and events.

Ili Apricot Blossom Tourism Festival

It falls in each April. The main activities of the festival include: multi-ethnic concert, "the Miss Apricot Flower" selection, long hair match, handicrafts exhibition, activities of ethnic special cuisine, rare stone exhibition, car show, poem meeting, reading club, symposiums, pen, thousand people footing, bike riding, etc.

Bailati Festival (白拉提节)

It is a festival that Muslims value a lot. During the period from August 1st to 15th of Islamic calendar, every family invites Iman to their home and to read Bailati scriptures. The last day of the festival, people must shower, fast and go to the mosque to attend ceremony and donate some property. And before twelve o 'clock in the evening, people must read scriptures and pray to gain the blessing and forgiveness of Allah.

Memorial Day of West Movement

It falls on the 18th day of the 4th lunar month. It is a traditional festival of Xibe nationalitys, in memory of Xibe people moved from northeast to northwest frontier in order to defend the country more than 220 years ago. It is the grandest festival for Xibe people. During the festival, there would be activities like art performance, horse racing, scrambling for a sheep, etc. People would dine together and gather in park for commemorative activities.

Lesser Bairam

The event falls in September of Mohammedan calendar. It is a festival for those who believe in Mohammedanism. Before the festival, people would clean their houses and make all sorts for cake and new clothes. After their service in mosque, people would go back home to prepare beef and mutton and give out to the poor. During the period, they only eat during the time from sunset to sunrise. The event continues 3 days.

International Lavender Tourism Festival

The festival falls in each June. With the theme of “gathering at the city of happiness - Huocheng to experience the travel of sweet fragrance ”, 6 theme activities are organized: the grand meeting of watch, culture appreciation, development talking, tangible benefits, flower smelling and attraction touring, which aims at showing the five-color image of Huocheng - the green hope of the city, red memories, the romance of purple, golden harvest and white imagination to visitors.

Tianma International Tourism Festival

It falls in July each year. Tianma is a kind of high quality horse breed. Zhaosu got the fame of “the hometown of Tianma”in 2003 because it raises good Tianma horses there. The festival aims at fully exploiting, showing and inheriting the Ili prairie culture, folk culture and Tianma culture.

“Honey Nilka”Bee Culture Tourism Festival

It falls in each July. Taking “ecology, happiness and harmony”as themes, and using the panoramamic way of showing the features of Nilka county’scultural tourist resources and ecological bee products, the festival also holds activities like unique horse racing, wrestling, etc.to bring a rich and colorful audio-visual feastfor local people and visitors.

Ice and Snow Culture Tourism Festival

The festival falls in the period from December to February. The marvelous snow views of Ili River Valley and mild climate of winters open ways for winter tourism. Activities like skating, skiing, photography and hiking would be amazing during the festival. Also, you could enjoy Yili Skiing Sports Meeting, ice lantern and snow sculpture works, exhibition of folk culture as well as photo exhibition, horse-drawn plough, snowmobile, ice lantern and snow sculpture creative competition, winter grassland sports meeting, etc.

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