GRAND CANDLE FESTIVALL 2007
Date : 27 Jul 2007 - 29 Jul 2007
Place : Ubon Ratchathani Province

FESTIVAL HIGHLIGHTS
The following activities will be held during the month-long festival from 1-30 July. Ubon Ratchathani Art and Culture Festival
Visits to the candle-crafting communities of Ubon Ratchathani
An exhibition of wax sculptures by nine international artists representing Canada, China, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Portugal, the Ukraine, and Thailand
Light-and-Sound presentation
Traditional I-San style palaeng set dinner
Beauty contest
A grand procession of 80 Lenten candles
Presentations of I-San folk culture by 80 traditional Northeastern folk dance troupes

Weekly activities
July 1-8
Ubon Art and Culture Festival

July 9 – 22
Forging International Relations
A Celebration of Thai-Japanese Culture
Thai-Chinese Cultural Showcase and Cultural Exchange
International Wax Sculpture Exhibition
At the plaza in front of the Ubon Ratchathani National Museum

July 23 – 30
Keeping Buddhist Traditions and Buddhist Art Alive
At Thung Si Muang field

As the seasonal monsoon rains descend over the kingdom, it marks the beginning of the Buddhist "rain retreat" and the Buddhist Lent, or "Phansa", during which all Buddhist monks retreat to the temples. This is also an auspicious time for Buddhist ordinations as it marks a period of spiritual renewal.

Known as "Khao Phansa", the Buddhist Lent is a time devoted to study and meditation. Buddhist monks remain within the temple grounds and do not venture out for a period of three months starting from the first day of the waning moon of the eighth lunar month (in July) to the fifteenth day of the waxing moon of the eleventh lunar month (in October).

As Ubon Ratchathani province prepares for the Buddhist Lent, men folk, ordained as well as laymen, with artistic skills set about the task of moulding and sculpting Lenten candles. As these works of art are to be presented as Buddhist merit-making offerings, the artisans pour their heart and soul into their craft. Many of these are fine examples of Buddhist art and sculpture. The candle festival is unique to Ubon Ratchathani province and the customs and traditions related to this Buddhist festival have been diligently preserved by local communities.

Making Merit
Thai Buddhists engage in merit-making as an expression of respect and gratitude by making offerings to Lord Buddha, venerable monks, past and present kings, and to parents, grandparents and their ancestors.

Making merit relates strongly to the concept of rebirth. The accumulation of merit, or bun, is believed to exert a powerful influence on one's future life and, indeed, rebirths.