March Street Festival

The March Street Festival, also known as Guanyin Fair, is one of the most magnificent festivals of the Bai Ethnic Group in Dali, Yunnan. It is held every year from 15 to 21 of the Third Lunar Month (usually in April).

Legend has it that Guanyin Bodhisattva defeated the evil Rakshasa. Since then, the Bai people have gathered annually at the foot of the Cangshan Mountain to offer their worship and gratitude to Bodhisattva. With time passing like the flow of a river, the Guanyin Festival has turned into a grand event, with a history of more than 1000 years.

At the very beginning, it was a temple fair for sermons and worshipping and then turned into a prosperous trading fair. Businessmen from Sichuan, Tibet, and other regions of southwestern China have headed here to trade goods since the Ming and Qing Dynasty.

The ceremony takes place just outside the western gate of Dali Ancient City every Lunar March. Dali is bestowed with exquisite scenery, people come from every corner of the city at this time, dancing and singing; some trading takes place too.

Merchants come from far and wide to sell an interesting array of items, including ethnic minority garb. If the chaotic street market isn't for you, there's also horse racing, archery, and other competitions throughout the day. The festivities begin on the night before the full moon and last for an entire week.

Visitors to Dali can enjoy various performances, including songs and dancing. At the markets, snacks from different areas around Dali can be tasted and you can also go shopping with locals.

On market day, the streets are filled with all kinds of goods, ranging from fruits, vegetables, tea, medicinal products and snacks to clothing and daily necessities. March Street is the most lively place at this time.

All kinds of goods can keep children happy and, for grown-up visitors, they can "scour" the fascinating antiquities here.

Since 2008, March Street of the Bai people has been listed as one of the non-material cultural heritages of China.