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Snapshot: Kunming Carnival's Grand Parade

By in Features on

May 1 marked the final day of the thirteenth annual Kunming International Cultural Tourism Festival, also known as the Kunming Carnival.

As in previous years, each day of the 2012 carnival featured a Grand Parade. Several streets around Cuihu were closed to motorized vehicles to make way for the revelry.

Colorfully dressed ethnic groups from Yunnan and abroad danced down the streets while playing traditional instruments. Those heading up each different section of the parade displayed placards announcing the name of their city or country of origin.

GoKunming was on hand to take in the final day's parade, which began at the Yunnan Military Academy on Cuihu Xi Lu, circled Green Lake Park and finished where it started. Below are some images captured during the event.

Dehong (德宏) was represented by a large group who wore the traditional dress of the Jingpo people (景颇族) and played instruments resembling Scottish bagpipes.

Their flag carrier looked to be in good spirits, leading her people around the lake.

The Turkish Belly Dance Troupe added to the parade's international flavor with their exotic costumes.

Yi people (诺苏) from Chuxiong (楚雄) danced through the streets in their traditional attire.

Everyone enjoyed the beautiful spring weather.

A parade participant stopped to give GoKunming a smile.

Some families watched the festivities while others got more involved.

This dancer led the delegation from Malaysia.

Meanwhile, a Malaysian warrior kept his eye on the crowd and photographers.

Dai women (傣族) from Xishuangbanna (西双版纳) were easily recognizable in their bright pink apparel.

Their matching oil-paper umbrellas shaded them from the intense Kunming sunshine.

Hani people (哈尼族) from Pu'er (普洱) picked up the pace with energetic drumming and dancing.

The tempo of the parade was not slowed by the warmth of the day.

There was even a Croatian group present, dancing down the street in pairs, displaying their ethnic garb.


Intricate and ornate headdresses were a common accessory.

Women from Honghe (红河州) sang as they made their way along the parade route.

As with any good parade, the procession finished with a troupe of clowns.

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Comments

Excellent photos. Sorry to have missed this.

So, no semi naked Brazilians?

[UNF]

Pity GK did not list this event in their calender beforehand. Guess there was no drinking involved.

@Danmairen
Try to pay more attention to Kunming English news website and you won't miss any big events any more.

GoKunming was and always will be a free, open platform for information and news for Kunming, Yunnan, and beyond. We rely heavily on user input for our community calendar, and encourage everyone to submit to us noteworthy cultural and artistic events.

Suggestions and criticisms are always welcome via our Contact page: gokunming.com/en/contact . Hope you enjoyed our photography!

[UNF]

where is foto brazilian's dancers??(((

[UNF]

GK is doing a great job. I think what would be very useful though, especially for us non-chinese readers, would be to have more listings of local, non-laowai events around town. That was what, in a sarky way, I was getting at.

Damn... I agree, I didn't know it was on and would have gone if only I had known!

Someone must have known! Why didn't someone post something??

Posting photos of an event after the fact is nice, but Go Kunming could provide a truly useful service by listing events like this in advance so those of us who live here could know to attend.

GBTEXDOC, blobbles, Heinz

I agree with you guys. GK, please get ahead of events. We might like to go too!

[UNF]

Um...this is an ANNUAL event - so I'm guessing all the critics discovered this ANNUAL event as a result of this fabulous posting? Please plan on NOT missing this ANNUAL event next year - same time, same place...

Yes thats right laotou, some of us haven't been here a year yet! And are you telling me its on exactly the same day every year??? Something tells me it is probably timed for a weekend right?

[UNF]

Labor Day is always May 1st. It does not change year to year.

The only previous mention of this annual event on GoKunming that I can find was back in 2009, but that article did highlight it 5 weeks before it took place.

Any Morris dances out there ?

I'm thinking ahead for next year.

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