Public holidays in Cambodia

For the song by the Dead Kennedys, see Holiday in Cambodia.

Khmer traditional calendar, known as Chhankitek, is a lunisolar calendar although the word Chhankitek itself means lunar calendar. While the calendar is based on the movement of the moon, calendar dates are also synchronized with the solar year to keep the seasons from drifting. Therefore, the festivals and holidays of Cambodia are subject to change every year based on the lunar calendar. The only exception being the Khmer New Year holiday that is based solely on the Solar Calendar.

Public holidays

Name	Date	Remarks
New Year's Day	January 1	Celebrates the beginning of the Gregorian New Year
Victory Day	January 7	This national holiday was established to commemorate the end of the Khmer Rouge regime in 1979
Meak Bochea	moveable February	This national holiday was established to commemorate the spontaneous gathering of monks to listen to the Buddha's preaching
International Woman's Day	March 8	This national holiday was established to commemorate the brave history of women around the world
Khmer New Year	April 14–16	This national holiday was established to celebrate the New Year in Cambodia. The holiday lasts for three days and is considered to be the most important festival on the calendar.
Visaka Bochea	moveable April or May	This national holiday was established as a Buddhist observance commemorating the birth, enlightenment and passing of the Buddha.
Labor Day	May 1	This national holiday was established to celebrate the economic and social achievements of workers.
Royal Ploughing Ceremony	moveable May	This national holiday corresponds to the start of the planting season.
King Sihamoni's Birthday	May 13–15	This national holiday was established to celebrate the birthday of HM King Norodom Sihamoni on May 14, 1953.
International Children's Day	June 1	This national holiday was established to celebrate the memorial and try to keep the children safe
Queen Mother's Birthday	June 18	This national holiday was established to celebrate the birthday of Queen Mother Norodom Monineath on June 18, 1936.
Constitution Day	September 24	This national holiday was established to celebrate the signing of the Cambodian constitution by King Sihanouk.
Pchum Ben Festival	moveable September or October	This national holiday was established for buddhist to pay their respects to deceased relatives by cooking meals for monks and making offerings to the "ghost" of deceased relatives. It is also known as "Ancestor's Day".
King Father's Commemoration Day	October 15	This national holiday for Commemoration Day to the Royal Soul of His Majesty Preah Bat Samdech Preah Norodom Sihanouk, Preahmahaviraksat, King-Father of the Cambodian National Independence, Territorial Integrity and Unity on October 15, 2012.
Paris Peace Agreement Day	October 23	This holiday is to commemorate the Treaty of Paris on October 23, 1991.
Independence Day	November 9	This national holiday was established to celebrate Cambodia's independence from France in 1953.
Water Festival	moveable "October" or November	This national holiday was established to commemorate ancient Cambodian navy soldiers under King Jayavarman VII during the Khmer Empire.
Human Rights Day	December 10	This national holiday was established to commemorate the United Nations General Assembly's adoption and proclamation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Other Festivals

Name	Date	Remarks
Kite Flying Festival	November or December	Exactly one month after the Water Festival, the Festival of Kite Flying follows and brings together kite makers to demonstrate their talents in the full-moon night of Maksir, the first month of the Khmer lunar calendar, which usually falls in November or December. For Khmers, the festival means an occasion to pray for good weather, good harvest of crops, and a favorable situation free from destruction by floods or heavy rains. In Khmer folklore, the kite has always symbolized many things. A good number of locals hold the Festival of Kite Flying annually and wish for peace, freedom, and happiness for everyone.
Silkworm Festival	September	The festival is held on a full-moon day in September every year. The traditions had been almost disappearing in the long civil war. And the traditions were revived by the hands of the experienced elderly women who slightly kept the memories. This is a festival to celebrates Cambodia's long history of silk textiles.
Chinese New Year Festival	January or February	Chinese New Year, or Spring Festival, has been broadly celebrated in Cambodia thanks to the country's respect for cultural diversity and close relationship between the peoples of the two countries. It is often celebrated by Cambodian citizens regardless of ethnic background as it if commonly believed that the festival brings luck. Lion dance or "Mong Say" as referred by the locals is often seen throughout the country and many businesses close down as family go home to spend time with their families.
Hei Neak Ta	January or February	Known as the Hei Neak Ta, or Spirit Parade, the festival is held each year to mark the official end of the Chinese New Year celebrations in a uniquely Khmer manner. While the holiday is known as the Lantern festival in other parts of Asia, and is celebrated solely on the 15th day of the lunar calendar, festivities in Cambodia can go on for three to four days and often feature elaborate parades with a wide range of spirit mediums.
Mid Autumn Festival	September or October	More commonly called "Full Moon Festival" by locals (as Cambodia does not have an Autumn season). Cambodians organize “the traditional festival of prostrating the moon". In that early morning, people start preparing sacrifices to worship the moon, including fresh flowers, cassava soup, flat rice, and sugar cane juice. At night, people put the sacrifices into a tray, place on a big mat, and sit at ease waiting for the moon. When the moon rises up over the top of a branch, everyone whole-heartedly worships the moon, implores blessings. After the ritual of worshipping the moon, the old take flat rice to put into the mouth of children until they are entirely full in order to spray for perfection, and good things. Although this is a Chinese festival, many Cambodians celebrate this festival as it is believed that exchanging moon cake during this time is thought to bring luck and prosperity. Among Cambodians, this holiday is associated with Khmer beliefs of "Praying to the Moon" and the Buddhist legend of the rabbit.
Qingming Festival	April	The Qingming Festival, also known as Tomb Sweeping Day (or "Chheng Meng among the Khmer locals), is a Chinese festival when people bring food and drinks to the graves of their ancestors. In Cambodia, this festival is largely associated with Pchum Ben Festival and is mainly a chance for people to pray for happiness, success and promotion.
Siem Reap Puppet Parde	February	A festival celebrated in Siem Reap that commemorates the artistic ability of the locals in the area. It shows a large display of giant puppets as well as showcasing traditional shadow puppet plays. It first began in 2007 and has since then gained widespread popularity.

References

• Cambodian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation
• Public Holidays for 2008, Cambodian Embassy in Australia
• [1]
• [2]
• [3]
• [4]
• [5]
• [6]
• [7]
• [8]