08 January - 2011      Duruthu Perahera

The parade marks the first visit of Lord Buddha to Sri Lanka. This magnificent pageant is held at the Kelaniya Raja Maha Vihara in Colombo and is punctuated with a spectacularly adorned procession of elephants and traditional dancers.

15 January - 2011      Thai Pongal

This festival is celebrated by the Tamil community of Sri Lanka. Traditionally a harvest festival, Thai Pongal is a day of thanksgiving to the Sun Gods for agriculture which eventually helps generate material success. The festival is mainly a family oriented celebration, although many temples will have public celebrations as well.

20 January - 2011       Jaffna International Trade Fair

                  TBN

18-22 January - 2011   Galle Literary Festival

One of the most anticipated events in Sri Lanka’s literary calendar, the festival is guaranteed to excite many bibliophiles. The fair welcomes a host of local and internationally acclaimed authors. Here readers and authors are able exchange thoughts and ideas, whilst also learning about various cultures. 

23 January - 2011        Kala Pola

Each year art-lovers flock to Green Path, a street that is transformed into a vibrant open air art gallery. The event is organized by the George Keyt Foundation together with our own parent company John Keells Holdings plc. This art auction is the perfect platform for young artists and sculptors who wouldn’t normally have the resources to display their work. The vibrant event offers visitors a myriad of artistic creations, showcasing a kaleidoscope of local artists’ talents.

04 February - 2012              Independence Day

This day commemorates the political independence of Sri Lanka from British rule in 1948. The national holiday is celebrated by all citizens, who usually head to Independence Square to watch the official ceremony. The proceedings commence with the hoisting of the national flag, which is then followed by an elaborate parade.

6-7 February - 2012          Navam Perahera

This pageant takes place in Colombo at the Gangarama Temple. Overlooking the picturesque Beira Lake, the parade includes hundreds of monks, followed by the Scared Tooth of the Lord Buddha. Carried on the back of an elaborately adorned elephant the tooth relic is the main attraction of this parade. However the colourful traditional dancers and drummers are also the source of much entertainment. 

                 
12 February - 2012              Donald Steel Trophy 2011 (Golf)

The tournament is held at the Victoria Golf Club in the hilly central region of Kandy. The tournament is named after the famous architect Donald Steel, the mastermind behind the beautiful architecture of the Victoria Golf and Country Resort. This annual amateur golf tournament attracts golfers from across the globe.

TBN March - 2012        Hot air ballooning festival

           
No, it’s not a bird or a plane – it’s a balloon! This colourful event is a feast for the eyes. With participants entering this competition from various continents, the balloons soar high above various parts of the island ranging from the mountains, the magnificent Sigiriya Rock Fortress and over lush green vegetation.

26-30March-2012       England’s Tour of Sri Lanka – Test matches – Galle

Watch the two World renowned teams battle it out in Galle – a quaint colonial town on the south coast of the island. With the arrival of the Barmy Army and local cricket fanatics, the town is transformed into a bustling metropolis. 

28 March - 2012         Sri Lanka Expo

This International Trade Exhibition is organized by the Export Development Board of Sri Lanka. The aim of this trade fair is to attract overseas buyers to Sri Lanka whilst instilling confidence in our product and service industries. The exhibitors include the most well-reputed export companies in the island.

3-7 April - 2012        Englands Tour of Sri Lanka – Test matches – Colombo

Head over to the R. Premadasa Cricket Stadium in Colombo to watch the last leg of this test series. The atmosphere in this cricket stadium is incomparable to any other around the world. Sit back and enjoy the papare music synonymous with Sri Lankan cricket, the buzzing crowd of spectators and last but not least - the world class cricket.

13-14 April - 2012     Sinhala Tamil New Year

            Every year at a specific date determined by astrologers, Sri Lanka celebrates Sinhala and Tamil New Year. During this time of year, families gather to carry out traditional rituals and religious customs. The exchange of gifts, paying respect to elders as well as the preparation of sweet meats and Kiri Bath (milk rice) are all a part of the festivities. Around this time of year many shops are closed as the entire country takes a welcome break!

01 May - 2012 Surfing Season in Arugam Bay (month of May – November)

Known for its surf-friendly waves, Arugam Bay has been voted one of the top ten places in the World for surfing. Attracting surfers from all parts of the globe, this little town is soon becoming a major tourist hot-spot. The waves best for surfing between the months of May and November.

5 May - 2012    Vesak

Considered both a religious and cultural celebration, Vesak in Sri Lanka is undoubtedly enjoyed by all. This Buddhist festival celebrates the birth, enlightenment and death of the Lord Buddha. On this day, kaleidoscopic pandols, multi-coloured lanterns and groups of devotees singing Buddhist songs scatter the streets of Colombo. Thousands people flock to the centre of the town, stopping for dansal or food stalls that provide free food and drinks for passers by.

01 June - 2012       Whale watching season – Trincomalee
              
               Trincomalee is home to one of the best natural deep-water harbours in Sri Lanka. A large submarine canyon opens up into the harbour, allowing ample space for these large mammals to enter. Blue Whales are often spotted in these murky waters. So make sure you include whale watching in your itinerary between the months of June and September.

 04 June - 2012       Poson Poya

            On this full moon day, many Buddhist devotees celebrate the arrival of Buddhism to Sri Lanka. The venerated missionary, Mahinda, son of Emperor Asoka from India, arrived to Sri Lanka and converted King Devanampiyatissa to Buddhism. Thousands of white clad devotees make pilgrimage to Mihintale, the monastic complex where missionary Mahinda preached his first sermon to the

masses.

TBN June - 2012    International Surfing Championships in Arugam Bay

This international event hosts professional surfers from around the World.  Watch these athletes duel it out on the beautiful sun kissed beach of Arugam Bay.

01July-2012    ‘The Gathering’ – Minneriya National Park (1 July – 31 Oct)

               This phenomenon is considered one of Sri Lanka’s finest wildlife feats. This spectacular experience is believed to the largest gathering of Asian Elephants in the World.
Every year during the dry season, large herds of Wild Asian Elephants make their way to the Minneriya tank in search of water. These herds can be as large as 150 or even 200 elephants, all gathering around the reservoir for food, water and shelter.

3:             Esela Perahera

               Kandy captivates its visitors for two entire weeks with the Esela Perahera or annual pageant. This dazzling procession is the largest and most glamourous of its kind in South Asia. The Scared Tooth Relic of the Buddha takes centre stage as it is paraded round the city of Kandy on an elephant’s back. A large procession of elephants adorned in luxurious glittering garb, whip-dancers, fire dancers, monks and traditional Kandyan dancers light up the city of Kandy. The pomp and pageantry of the Esela Perahera is unmatched and is considered one of Sri Lanka’s finest and most sacred festivities.
.

     TBN            Esela Festival

This festival is held at the hallowed Katharagama Shrine. Hundreds of devotees join together for two weeks of religious festivities. The highlight of this ceremony is the ‘water cutting’ ceremony where a holy casket is dipped into the Manic Ganga (a sacred river) . Once this is done, thousands of devotees submerge themselves in this very river. Devotees are also known to perform the daring act of ‘fire walking’ as a mark of honor to the Hindu God Skanda, known as the Warrior God.