Xishuangbanna celebrates Dai New Year with grand parade

Actors dressed as cute calf elephants perform during a parade in celebration of the water-splashing festival in Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture of southwest China's Yunnan Province. (Photo/Zhang Xi)

The streets of Jinghong city in Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province, recently came alive with vibrant celebrations, which marks the New Year for the Dai ethnic group. Performers dressed as adorable animals and plants interacted with visitors and locals, offering a vibrant and delightful showcase of Dai culture.

On April 14, Xishuangbanna organized festivities to highlight the region's rich biological and cultural diversity, celebrating the year 1385 according to the Dai calendar.

The celebration featured a spectacular procession with seven parade formations, 48 performance teams, nearly 20 floats, and 3,500 performers, winding through the main streets and water-splashing square of Jinghong city.