According to the Buddhist calendar with approximate months corresponding to the English calendar, the important festivals are mentioned below :

SAGA DAWA : Full moon on the 4th month, around end of May & early June

DRUKPA TSESHI : 4TH day of the 6th month, around August

PANG LHABSOL : 15th day of the 7th month, around late August – early September

KAGYAT DANCE : 28th & 29th day of 10th month, around December

LOSOONG : Sikkimese New Year, last week of December

LOSAR : Tibetan New Year, around February

DASAIN : Month of Aswin, September-October

MAGHE SANKRANTI : Month of Magh, around January

ENCHEY 'CHAMS' : 18th & 19th days of the 11th month, around December-January

RUMTEK 'CHAAMS' : Tse-Chu ‘Chaams’- 10th day of the 15th month, around June.

WINTER 'CHAAM' : Gouthor ‘Cham’ – 2 days prior to Losar.

MAGHE SANKRANTI: Mid Jan

SONAM LOCHAR : Jan - Feb

RAMNAWAMI OR CHAITE DASAIN : Apr - May

BHANU JAYANTI: July

TENDONG LHO RUM FAAT: August

GURU RINPOCHE’S THUNKAR TSHECHU: July - August

INDRA JATRA : August – September

DEEPAWALI : October - November

TEYONGSI SRIJUNGA SAWAN TONGNAM : November – December

BARAHIMIZONG : December

SAKEWA: April – May

TAMU LOCHAR: December

Bumchu Festival (January -February)

This festival takes place in Tashiding Monastery in west Sikkim, in the month of January - February . During this festival, the pot containing the holy water is opened by the lamas of the monastery. The level of water in the pot foretells the future for the forth coming year. If the water is to the brim, it prophesizes disturbances. If the pot is almost dry it indicates famine and a half full pot foretells a year in which peace and prosperity will prevail. A part of the holy water is distributed among the participants and then the pot is replenished with river water and sealed at the end of the festival to be opened only in next Bumchu festival.

Phang Lhabsol (August - September)

The unique festival of Phang Lhabsol on the eighth day of the seventh month of the Tibetan calendar venerates Mount. Kanchenjunga as the Bhutia’s gurdian deity. The festival is celebrated with an impressive dance-drama at the Tsuklakhang Palace in Gangtok. The lamas invoke Dzonga (as Mt. Kanchenjunga is known) to protect and look after the people of Sikkim. The war like dance-drama at the Royal chapel is a return to the resplendent essence of Buddhism.

Lhabab Dhuechen (End of May or Early June)

This festival symbolizes the descent of Lord Buddha from the heaven. According to legend, Queen Maha Maya, the mother of Lord Buddha, did not live long, took rebirth in Trayastrimsa or the heaven of the thirty gods. After attaining enlightenment, Lord Buddha through  spiritual powers came to know about the whereabouts of his mother and at the age of forty one ascended to heaven along with thousands of his followers. Lord Buddha stayed in heave for three months during which he devoured sermon to his mother and other celestial beings. Lord Buddha had left behind on earth one of his disciples, Maugalyayana, as his representative. This disciple and other devotees of the Lord could not bear the long separation and longed to hear his preachings. Maugalyayana, who possessed miraculous powers, was exhorted to go up to the heaven to request the Lord to return back to the earth. The gods were not willing to let Lord Buddha return to earth but Maugalyayana suggested that as the earthly beings did not have the powers to visit heaven, the celestial beings could come to the earth to attend his preaching. Lord Buddha finally relented and descended to the earth at a place called Sankasya along a triple ladder that was prepared especially for the occasion by Viswakarma, the god of Machines.

Drukpa Teshi (July - August)

This festival falls on the fourth day of the sixth Tibetan month and celebrates Buddha’s first preaching of the four ‘Noble Truths’ to his first five disciples in Deer Park at Sarnath. At Gangtok, it is marked by prayers at the Deer Park and at a secluded place called Muguthang in extreme north Sikkim, followed by yak race.

Saga Dawa (May - June)

Buddha was born, attained Buddhahood and achieved nirvana on Saga Dawa which is celebrated on the full moon day of the fourth month of the Tibetan calendar, a very holy month for the Sikkimese Buddhist. A long procession of monks, local people accompanied with holy books winds its way through the main thoroughfares of Gangtok. Buddhist families gather to touch their heads on the holy books. Also prayers are held in various monasteries throughout this month.

Kagyat Dance (December)

Kagyat or Black Hat dance is the demonstration of the triumph of good over evil. It takes place every 28th and 29th day of the tenth month of the Tibetan calendar at the Tsulakhang, Enchey, Phodrang and Phensang monasteries.

Dasain (October)

It is the most important festival of the Nepalese Hindu and begins on the first day of the lunar month of Aswain (approximately October). The Nepalese decorate their houses doors and pillars with banana leaves and string of marigold flowers and pray for goddess Durga. On the eight day, or Ashtami, many families sacrifice goats or buffaloes and on the tenth day or Vijaydashami, they visit the elder family members seeking their blessing. During the festival, all Nepalese, both young and old smear each others foreheads with a mixture of rice and curd and string marigold garlands around their necks.

Losar

The Tibetan New Year, celebrated in inimitable Himalayan fashion with feasting and merrymaking throughout Sikkim. It generally falls around first week of February.

Losoong

This Bhutia festival marks the end of the harvest season and also end of the Tibetan year. Chams (religious dances) symbolizing the victory of good over evil are performed at the Tsug Lakhang, Phodong and Rumtek monasteries. Archery competitions are held amidst much feasting and merry making.

Maghe Sankranti (Mid January)

'Maghe Sankranti', or the first day of the tenth month of the Bikram Sambat calendar which marks the onset of warmer weather is a major secular festival of the Nepalese. Known as 'Makker Sakranti' in other parts of India, the festival is observed for three days. Every year, it falls on the fourteenth of January. A bathing festival called 'Makkar' is observed, when people take a dip at the confluence of the Teesta and Rangeet rivers.

On this day, attractive Fairs also held at many places along the river banks and on confluence of rivers. The biggest and most popular is the Jorethang Maghe Mela, held in Jorethang in South Sikkim. This Fair is said to have evolved from the agricultural fair that was organised in Jorethang for the first time in 1955.

Sonam Lochar (January - February)

It is an important festival of Tamang community who celebrate it with great joy and religious fervour that last for five to fifteen days, from place to place.

Ramnawami OR Chaite Dasain

It is an important festival for the Nepalese community also known as ‘Small Dashain’ and commonly celebrated as Ram Navami’ in other parts of the country, commemorating the birth of Lord Rama on this auspicious day during pre-vedic times. People on this day, visit Lord Rama temples, hold family get-together and enjoy festive meals.

Bhanu Jayanti (July)

Nepalese community commemorate 29th Asar as ‘Bhanu jayanti’ (usually on 13 July), the birthday of Bhanubhakta Acharya, who is popularly known as ‘Nepal ka Adikavi’ (Nepal’s first poet).

Bhanubhakta was a first Nepali poet who translated the great epic ‘Ramayana’ from Sanskrit to Nepali. His translation of Ramayan in Nepali language was a milestone in Nepali literature as it was written in common language, understood by all.

Tendong Lho Rum Faat (August)

Tendong Lho Rum Faat is one of the oldest festivals of the Lepcha community. The three-day celebrations begin with the offering of prayers to Mount. Tendong in South Sikkim. Legend has it that Mount. Tendong saved the Lepcha people during the great deluge which flooded the entire Mayel Lyang country, now known as Sikkim. The festival is an annual thanksgiving to the saviour mountain.

Various literary and cultural programmes are held in the state capital to commemorate the occasion. On the concluding day, exhibits on traditional Lepcha food, costumes and ornaments are displayed.

Guru Rinpoche’s Thunkar Tshechu (July - August)

The birth anniversary of Guru Padmasambhava, the patron saint of Sikkim is celebrated with great pomp in the state. It falls on the tenth day of the fifth Tibetan month. In Gangtok, a procession carrying the statue of the Guru is taken around town. Chams are held at Rumtek monastery celebrating different episodes from Guru’s life.

Indra Jatra (August – September)

Indra Jatra or ‘Yenya’ is the biggest festival for the Nepalese NEWAR community in Sikkim and is celebrated with much fanfare throughout the state. Named after the Hindu God of Rain and also the King of Heaven, Lord Indra, the festival’s prime objective is to seek his blessings in the form of rains and showers.

Deepawali (October - November)

It corresponds to the festival of Diwali, the festival of lights and celebrated exactly a fortnight after Dasain. According to the legend, Lord Ram's return to Ayodhya after fourteen years in exile and people celebrated the day by lighting of earthen lamps all over.

The festival goes on for five days. As per tradition, each day is dedicated to worship of a particular entity or living being. On the first day i.e., Kag Tihaar, crows are fed with home prepared delicacies. The second day known as Kukoor Tihaar, is dedicated to the dogs. They are garlanded and fed special food prepared from meat and rice. On the third day, i.e., Gai Tihaar, cows are honoured, garlanded and fed a specially prepared food. The day four is known as Gom Tihaar, when oxen are worshipped and fed. On the last day, Bhai Tika is performed when the girls put coloured rice mixed 'Tika' on the forehead of their brothers. Group of girls gather to sing traditional carols known as Bhailo at night. From the next morning, group of boys and men go on singing Deusi. The dancing and singing parties keep visiting several houses for a couple of days.

Teyongsi Srijunga Sawan Tongnam (November – December)

Observed by the Limboo Community in Sikkim, Teyongsi Sirijunga Sawan Tongnam, marks the birth anniversary of the famous 18th century scholar Teyongsi Sirijunga, who is greatly remembered for his legendary role as a revivalist of the Limboo’s age old traditional legacy in the state. The festival is one of the most significant for these native tribes, who celebrate it every year with great zeal and passion.

Barahimizong (December)

Barahimizong is a festival observed by the Mangar Community of Sikkim. One of the most significant festivals for this tribe, it is celebrated as a day when Mangar people come together to pay homage to their forefathers and kuldevtaas by performing various religious rituals and rites. These ceremonies are followed by a number of cultural performances and on-the spot competitions. Traditional Mangar food is also an integral part of the celebrations and provide opportunity to experience local delicacies.

Sakewa (April – May)

Sakewa is one of the most significant cultural and religious festivals for the Kirat Khambu Rai community of Sikkim. Celebrated as a homage to Mother Earth, it commences by performing Bhumi Puja followed by community dances and other rituals. Entire state comes alive during the colourful festivities of Sakewa with sounds of drums and cymbals reverberating in the air, and people all around the corners soaking themselves in the aura of merry making and celebrations.

Tamu Lochar (December)

Tamu Lochar is one of the traditional festivals of the Gurung Community. It marks the beginning of the Gurung New Year which falls on the 15th day of Pusa, according Vikram Sambat and 30th December in English Calendar. The festival is celebrated with the family and community as a whole.