Mongolia’s Most Popular Event Calendar: 2026 – 2027

The absolute most popular events for tourists in Mongolia range from massive summer sporting spectacles to historic winter gatherings on frozen lakes.

The essential tourist festivals, their distinct cultural components, and the official calendar dates for 2026 and 2027 are mapped out below. 

🏹 The Big Three: Most Popular National Festivals

1. The National Naadam Festival (Ulaanbaatar & Countryside) 

• The Experience: Mongolia’s premier annual celebration showcasing the "Three Manly Sports"—wrestling, long-distance horse racing, and archery. The event kicks off with a massive, vibrant opening ceremony at Ulaanbaatar’s ⁠National Central Stadium full of traditional music, throat singing, and military pageantry.

• 2026 Dates: July 11 – July 13, 2026 (Ulaanbaatar). Countryside variants happen across early July.

• 2027 Dates: July 11 – July 15, 2027. 

  
  

2. The Golden Eagle Festivals (Bayan-Olgii Province)

• The Experience: Hidden deep in the Altai Mountains, ethnic Kazakh hunters display their ancient falconry skills, launching massive Golden Eagles from cliffs to land flawlessly on their arms while riding on horseback. It includes traditional horse games like Kukbar (tug-of-war over a goat carcass). 

  
  

• 2026 Dates:

  • Sagsai Eagle Festival: September 17 – September 18, 2026.

  • Main Golden Eagle Festival: October 3 – October 4, 2026. 

  • Sagsai Eagle Festival: September 17 – September 18, 2027.

  • Main Golden Eagle Festival: October 2 – October 3, 2027. 

    
    

    

    
    

3. Tsagaan Sar (The Lunar New Year)

• The Experience: The core family festival signaling the end of winter. While it is a highly private holiday spent visiting relatives and eating thousands of buuz (steamed dumplings), the city hosts major pre-holiday trade expos, and tourists can observe ancient temple prayers.

• 2026 Dates: February 18 – February 20, 2026.

• 2027 Dates: February 7 – February 9, 2027 (Year of the Red Sheep)

  
  

  🗓️ Chronological Festival Calendar: 2026, 2027

  Below is the structured, seasonal timeline tracking both major countryside cultural gatherings and specific Ulaanbaatar (UB) city events organized by the ⁠Ulaanbaatar City Tourism Department.

  
  

  Thousand Camel Festival

  Dalanzadgad, Gobi Desert Feb 6 – Feb 8 Early February

  

  
  

  Khuvsgul Ice Festival

  Lake Khuvsgul Mar 2 – Mar 4 Early March

  
  

  Spring Eagle Festival

  Ulaanbaatar City Mar 7 – Mar 8 Early March

  
  

  Steppe Wind Moto Fest

  Ulaanbaatar CityJun 6 – Jun 7 Early June

  
  

  World Horse Day Parade

  Kharkhorin (10,000 horsemen) Jun 20 – Jun 23 Mid-June

  
  

  Danshig Naadam & Tsam Dance

  Khui Doloon Khudag (UB) Jun 27 – Jun 28 Late June

  
  

  Playtime Music Festival

  Gachuurt (UB) Jul 2 – Jul 4 Early July

  
  

  Tsaachin Reindeer Festival

  Lake Khuvsgul Jul 6 – Jul 7 Early July

  
  

  Deeltei Mongol (Clothing Show)

  Sukhbaatar Square (UB) Jul 9July 9

  
  

  The National Naadam Festival

  National Stadium (UB) Jul 11 – Jul 13 Jul 11 – Jul 15

  
  

  The Yak Festival

  Orkhon Valley Jul 23Late July

  
  

  UB Food Festival

  Ulaanbaatar City Aug 6 – Aug 9 Early August

  
  

  🏙️ Top Distinct Ulaanbaatar City Events

  If your travel dates are confined to the capital, look out for these highly popular urban festivals:

  
  

  • Danshig Naadam & Khuree Tsam: A deeply spiritual Buddhist festival that features monks performing sacred, elaborate masked dances (Tsam) to banish evil spirits, held alongside traditional archery and wrestling.

  • ⁠Deeltei Mongol Festival: A massive cultural parade across Sukhbaatar Square. Thousands of locals don stunning, intricate traditional silk robes (deels) from different historical eras and ethnic tribal sub-groups.

  • Playtime International Music Festival: Mongolia's premier open-air indie, rock, and electronic music festival. It attracts bands and electronic artists from across Asia, Europe, and America to the valleys just outside the city center.