Events and Festivals in- Cambodia   January 01: International New Year’s Day   April 14-16: Cambodian New Year A three-day celebration after the end of harvest to mark the turn of The New Year according to the Khmer lunar calendar. Every home is seen with attractive decorations. shrines are full of food and beverages given as offerings to God.. Other people attend Buddhist temples where traditional games are also performed. May 01: Visak Bochea Day - Birthday of Buddha. May 05: Royal Ploughing Ceremony  It is culturally celebrated to alert the nation of the commencement of rainy season, and farmers to be ready for farming rice by starting to plough. The venue is a field at a wing of Royal Palace, Phnom Penh. The scene is interesting as it depicts real ploughing activities where cows are given a variety of crops to eat. Based on the choices of crops eaten by the cows, prediction are made for the coming year. May 13-15: Birthday of King Sihamony During king's birthday, a giant firework display is held close to the riverbanks in front of the Royal Palace. October 10-12: Pchum Ben Day - The Soul Day A religious festival to bless the souls of ancestors, relatives and friends alike who have passed away. Household members attend Buddhist temples. November 23-25: Water Festival Not only it marks the reversing flow of Tonle Sap River but also ushers in the fishing season. The Highlight of the event is boat races over three days. As night falls, fireworks light the sky and a lighted flotilla of boats sail under full moon to whom household worships. Some analysts say the celebration is also a thanksgiving to the Mekong River for providing the country with fertile land. People from all walks of life gather on the bank of the Mekong River for days and nights. 02 December: Angkor Half Marathon International Half marathon. Held at the world renowned Angkor Wat an event which attracts competitors from all over the world. With thousands of spectators and the wonder of Angkor Wat, it is a spectacular setting. Mid December: Angkor Festival This festival is a showcase of performing arts with Angkor Wat as a backdrop. Performers from all over Asia attend this festival performing great epic stories from myths and legends, including the Ramayana, with their own national dance costumes and musical and rhythmic interpretations. Former King Sihanouk often attends when he is in residence in Siem Reap and other dignitaries come to witness this wonderful spectacle.

Cinemas Since the encouragement from the Ministry of Fine Arts and Culture and the Cambodian people strongly support to the Khmer films, most abandoned cinemas have been re-open. Recently, the Khmer films is very popular for Cambodian people not only in city but also provinces. The Khmer movies can be seen around the city at the main street - such as Kirirom Cinema - Sihanouk blvd., Luxe Cinema - Norodom blvd., Vimean Tip - Monivong blvd... Movie Houses English language movies shown in private viewing rooms at Movie Street Video Center, #116, Sihanouk blvd., The French Cultural Center (Street 184) hosts French films at 6:30PM every few days. The Russian Market (Toul Tom Pong) carries the most recent movies CDs. Nightclubs Phnom Penh is the place for disco nightlife. There are several clubs that see a good mix of locals and foreigners, like Rock, Spark, U2... Nightlife in Phnom Penh tends to begin fairly late - an 9 pm start is usual, after a leisurely meal and some drinks at a bar. Drink prices can be steep, but you can always pop outside and get a swift half from a street seller. Outside Phnom Penh, nightlife is dominated by Khmer nightclubs. These are basically 'hostess clubs' aimed at men, but it is no problem for foreign women to enter. They have a live band and are a good place to learn a bit about Khmer dancing. Traditional Dance Public performances of Khmer traditional dance are few and far between. The places to find are at few hotel in Phnom Penh and most local restaurants in Siem Reap. Check the local English-language newspapers for news of upcoming events. Pubs & Bars Phnom Penh and Siem Reap is best place for pubs and bars. Elsewhere around Cambodia, drinking takes places at street stalls, in restaurants and in nightclubs.