It is all about horse racing, wrestling and archery.
Naadam Festival.
Naadam is a national festival celebrated every year from 11 to 13 July across Mongolia that focuses on three traditional games: horseracing, wrestling and archery. Mongolian Naadam is inseparably connected to the nomadic civilization of the Mongols, who have long practiced pastoralism on Central Asia’s vast steppe. Oral traditions, performing arts, national cuisine, craftsmanship, and cultural forms such as long song, Khöömei overtone singing, Bie biyelgee dance and Morin khuur fiddle also feature prominently during Naadam.Mongolians wear during Naadam such as unique traditional costumes and using distinctive tools and sporting items. Festival participants revere the sportsmen, sportswomen, and children who compete, and winners are rewarded titles for their achievements.
Ritual praise songs and poems are dedicated to the contestants in the events. Everyone is allowed and encouraged to participate in Naadam, thus nurturing community involvement and togetherness. The three types of sports are directly linked with the lifestyles and living conditions of the Mongols and their transmission is traditionally undertaken through home-schooling by family members, although formalized training regimens have recently developed for wrestling and archery. The rituals and customs of Naadam also accentuate respect for nature and the environment.
Khuvsgul ice festival.
When the large lake is frozen solid up to 3 meters deep, that Huvsgul’s most famous event takes place – it is the Ice Festival! At the beginning of March the two day Ice Festival is held on the frozen lake with locals and visitors. Events include a gala opening ceremony on the ice, a folklore concert, shaman performances and many other competitions featuring ice sculptures, ice ankle bone shooting, plus horse, reindeer sled, jeep and ice skating races. Winter sports include downhill and cross-country skiing, ice-fishing contests, a 100 kilometre ice-skating marathon and a 12 kilometer horse sleigh race. Lately it’s been one of the well known festivals even for Mongolian because the way it’s frozen looks so unique and attractive. Usually it’s celebrated in the beginning of March every year.
Gobi camel festival.
In the traditional lifestyle of nomad occupies this animal main role. So at the beginning of this festival. Festivities start with camel parades followed by games where local camel herdsmen compete with each other in camel polo and camel beauty contests. Other highlights are Mongolian musicians and dancers performing with the Gobi desert as a magnificent backdrop. The The number one highlight of the festival is a 15-km-long camel race, listed in 2016 by Guinness World Records as the world’s largest one. It drew well over a thousand participants with the fastest camel and its rider finishing the race in just over 35 minutes. Before the race, a camel beauty parade sees the animals bedecked in colourful attire shown off to the crowds.
Eagle festival.
It’s an annual traditional festival which held in Bayan-Ulgii aimag, Mongolia. In this festival participate local nomads and their families together with the hunting eagle. The eagle festival is held usually in the first week of October. And so many tourist attractions are there for the tourists and even Mongolians would visit this special event. Special trained eagles show their hunting skills to hunt foxes and little animals.
