The 2018 Lhasa Shonton Festival will be held from August 11 to 17, according to information from the official Wechat account of “Lhasa Shonton Festival”.

As one of the most celebrated festivals in Tibet, the Shonton Festival usually lasts from the end of June to early July in Tibetan calendar.

Yogurt during the 2017 Lhasa Shonton Festival

In Tibetan, “Shon” means Yogurt and “ton” means banquet. Thus, the Shonton Festival is also known as the Yogurt Banquet Festival. Besides, as the Tibetan opera performance is an important part durting the festival, the festival is also called Tibetan Opera Festival.

In May 2006, the Shonton Festival was listed on the first batch of national intangible cultural heritage list. In recent years, thousands of tourists are attracted during the festival, helping pull the development of economy and tourism in Tibet.

The Buddha painting unfolding during the 2017 Shonton Festival in the Zhaibung Monastery.