The Tibetan lunar calendar is about 4 to 6 weeks behind the solar calendar. Tibetan First Month usually falls sometime in February. The following festivals are those that are more commonly seen, however depending on where you are these festivals might not be as important or there might be a festival that isn't on the list.
| Lunar Month | Date | |
|---|---|---|
| First | 1st-7th | Losar- New Year Festival. Week-long carnival, activities. Time for family and friends. Pilgrims make incense offerings on hills around Lhasa. |
| First | 4th-25th | Mönlam- Great Prayer Festival. The Future Buddha is paraded around Barkhor. |
| First | 15th | Chunga Choepa- Lantern Festival to commemorate Buddha’s miracle at Sravasti. Day of offerings. |
| Second/Third | 28th-19th | Festival to drive out evil and expel the scapegoat. |
| Fourth | 7th | Important month for pilgrims. Birth of Buddha Sakyamuni. |
| Fourth | 10th | Tsurphu Tsechu Festival |
| Fourth | 15th | Saka Dawa Festival- Enlightenment of Buddha (Sakyamuni) and entry to Nirvana. |
| Fourth | 18th | Gyantse Horse Racing Fesitval |
| Fifth | 10th | Lotus Buddha's Birthday |
| Fifth | 14th-16th | Samye Doldhe Festival |
| Fifth | 15th | Zamling Chisang- Universal Prayer Day- Local Deities’ Day |
| Fifth | 15th | Tashilhunpo Festival- Hanging of giant thangka at Tashilhunpo, Shigatse |
| Fifth | 15th-24th | Worship of the Buddha |
| Sixth | 4th | Dharmacakra Day- Feast of Buddha’s first sermon |
| Sixth | 10th | Birth of Padmasambhava |
| Sixth | 15th | Ganden Serthang Festival |
| Sixth | 13th-16th | Tashilhunpo Monlam |
| Sixth | 29th | Drepung Zhoton (Yoghurt Festival)- Hanging of giant thangka at Drepung Monastery |
| Seventh | 1st-7th | Shötun Festival |
| Seventh | 27th | Bathing Festival |
| Seventh | 30th | End of Rain Retreat |
| Seventh | 30th | Damzhung Horse Racing Festival |
| Seventh (end) and Eighth | all | Golden Star Festival to wash away greed, hate and delusion |
| Eighth | 1st-10th | Dajyur Festival at Gyantse and Damxung |
| Eighth | 1st-7th | Onkar (Harvest) Festival |
| Ninth | 22nd | Lhabab Düchen. Buddha’s descent from heaven after preaching to his mother |
| Tenth | 15th | Palden Lhamo Procession in Barkhor |
| Tenth | 25th | Ngachu Chenmo- Memorial festival of Tsong Khapa’s death |
| Eleventh | 6th | Nine Bad Omens |
| Eleventh | 7th | Ten Auspicious Omens |
| Twelfth | 1st-7th | New Year Festival at Shigatse |
| Twelfth | 5th-6th | Meeting of the Eight Guardians and Demons |
| Twelfth | 29th | Gutor- Day before New Year's Ever, Festival to drive out evil and the Old Year |