Sri Lanka celebrates its 60th Anniversary of independence from British Rule in 04th of February. The main event will be marked by a military parade which will show the strength of the country. Sri Lanka got its freedom in 1948 as a result of the movement carried out by the country's National Heroes. The power was transferred without a blood shed as a result of handling the situation cleverly. Sri Lanka was also under Dutch and Portuguese. Sri Lanka was an important colony for them due to its resourcefulness. The main celebrations will be held in Galle Face under the inspection of president of Sri Lanka.

Venue: Gangarama temple, Colombo 02 Time: 19H00 Gangaramaya temple is located in the heart of Colombo Metropolitan area. To commemorate the importance of the Navam poya day, a perahara – a pageant initiated in 1979, is annually organized. The parade will go through some of the main routes in Colombo. This year’s perehara will start at 7pm at Gangarama Temple. Visitors can follow the perehara starting from the temple and take photographs till the show ends. The procession will leave the premises and reach Fort (near Lake House) and then passing the President’s House it will reach Kollupitaya via Galle Face and back to the temple by 9.00 pm. There will be 60 caparisoned elephants and variety of traditional dances and drummers. It will be a colourful event not to be missed. The temple is opened for the visitors and you may be allowed to see the rituals taking place.

The Hindu festival of Maha Sivarathri is celebrated in late February or early March. This is the most important religious festival of the year for Hindus. It is a deeply symbolic occasion celebrating the winning of Lord Shiva by his consort Parvati, through the efficacy of penance. All-night poojas are offered in the temples, and devotees keep an all-night vigil by singing bajans and prayers. You can visit any Hindu temples on the night of Mahaivarathri and observe the rituals and invoke blessings.

Venue : Mt. Lavinia Hotel Time : 19H00 onwards ‘Country Roads’ is a concert where international musicians perform in local stage. The Country Roads concert is organized by the Country Music Foundation (CMF) which reaches a significant landmark of 16th annual concerts over a 20-year period with this show. The 16th annual Country Roads concert will be held on Sunday, March 16, 2008 at the Mount Lavinia Hotel. Featured country bands this year will be the Mavericks from Germany, folk singer Astrid Brooke from U.K., and local artistes – the Country Revival Band with mainstays Feizal on 6-string ukulele/guitar/vocals, and Ranjit on banjo/vocals. Other local artists performing that night include Anno Domino and the Cosmic Rays. Come sing along and enjoy an evening of new and old country music! This is a chance to enjoy some good music and through this, help a child. Further details could be obtained from Feizal Samath, President/CMF on Tel: 2304179 (email – ft@sundaytimes.wnl.lk) or 0777 728590, or Dhammika on 2304179).

Hot air ballooning is a popular adventure sport and with good reason. Ceylon Airship & Balloon Club the Balloon Festival 2008. The fortnight from Friday 21st March to Friday 4th April 2008 is slated for the third Sri Lanka Balloon Festival. It has now been recognized as a national event by the Ministry of Tourism and has their backing as well as that of the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau (see http://www.srilankatourism.org/balloon-festival.php ). Around 80-100 participants from Europe and Japan are expected together with 25 hot air balloons. This event is unique for balloon participants in that they will have an exclusive, two-week organized tour built around the hot air ballooning experience in Sri Lanka. The mission of this year’s festival is “To promote adventure tourism through hot air ballooning and civil aviation”. The tour also traditionally starts off in Colombo with a “Night Glow musical show” with the balloons tethered, lit up and glowing like large light bulbs against the evening darkness, providing a spectacular sight to the viewers. Music, food and beverages are available for spectators in a carnival-like atmosphere allowing many families to enjoy a quality evening of entertainment. The organizers encourage you to bring your family and friends as the festival celebrates the beauty the island of serendipity has to offer and the warm smiles from her people. For more information contact Sasi on 077 222 3531 or Ushan on 077 610 8365. Email: aniljayasinghe@yahoo.com. For registration & more information, visit www.srilankaballoons.com

Venue: Nuwara Eliya race course Organized by: Sri Lanka Turf Club The Sri Lanka Turf Club will host “THE EASTER CUP” horse race meet on 22nd March 2008 in Nuwara Eliya along with a successful horse racing that will be held during the April festive season in Nuwara Eliya, 180 km from Colombo. The meet dates fixed for the races will be 06th “MAYOR’S CUP” and “BREEDERS CUP” for the new 2 year olds which will be racing for the first time, 13th “GOVERNOR’S CUP” and 19th April 2008. The main event in Sri Lanka Horse Racing will be the “GOVERNOR’S CUP” will be sponsored by Colombo Hilton which is celebrating its 21st Anniversary. The “GOVERNOR’S CUP” has been the main event with a Grand Ascot style Fashion Show by the famous fashion designers and a band in attendance which adds colour for the “GOVERNOR’S CUP”. This is same as the “ROYAL ASCOT CUP” held in England.

Venue: Trincomalee Koneswaram temple also Thirukoneswaram is a Hindu temple which is located in the town Trincomalee. It is dedicated to main deity in Shaivism namely Lord Siva and is one of the five ancient Sivan temples around the island.

April brings the spring to Nuwara Eliya. Usually engulfed in mist, this Hill Country town gets live with so many activities in April. British introduced the horse racing to Sri Lanka and the 37 acre race course at Nuwara Eliya is still an arena for horses to beat one another. The Race Course is located in the heart of the town and renovated recently making it ready for the year 2008’s season. Horse races will frequently be played as of the traditions remembering the British Colonial Era. The Golf Course in Nuwara Eliya which is one of the most beautiful places in Sri Lanka for playing the game, will host many tournaments during this period. Motorcycling, car racing, carnivals and many more festivities will be held during April. The climate of NuwaraEliya reminds you a temperate Scottish Highland. Nuwara Eliya was an important economical centre point during the British occupation. The architecture and culture is influenced by years of British Colonialism, which you can still observe at Nuwara Eliya. Victoria park and Haggala Botanical Gardens are other places where nature organizes its own festivities.

Sinhala & Tamil New Year is the most important festival for Sinhala & Tamil community in the country. Traditional SriLankan society is based on agriculture and this festival celebrates the harvesting of paddy. The sun has played a major role in bringing their harvest and its importance is being strengthened by this event. The new year dawns when the sun makes its transition from the Meena Rashiya (House of Pisces) to the Mesh Rahiya (House of Aries) marking the starting of a new cycle according to the astrology. Sinhalese as well as Tamils welcome the Sinhala and Hindu New Year at an auspicious time and carry out all the important activities like first light the hearth, start cooking, eating and anoint oil all at an auspicious time. Commencing work and doing the first business transaction is also part of the traditions. Visiting the relations and friends forgetting all the bad things happened in the previous year is the most important social aspect of the festival. Offering beetle leaves and worshipping the elders also strengthens the links of the traditional srilankan society. There are several games and fun activities to bring the joy of the celebrations.

The International Workers day is being celebrated in Sri Lanka mainly by political parties and workers unions. Rallies and series of meetings are organized and held all over the country.

Organized by: Field Ornithology Group of Sri Lanka International Dawn Chorus Day is an important day in a birdwatcher’s calendar. On the first Sunday of May, birdwatchers around the globe will be rising early to greet the rising sun and enjoy nature’s daily miracle; The Dawn Chorus. The event aims at paying tribute to the wonderful sounds of nature that has been overlooked by many. The Dawn Chorus Day events in Sri Lanka will be coordinated by the Field Ornithology Group of Sri Lanka (FOGSL) which is the National Affiliate of the BirdLife International. For more information, visit www.fogsl.lk

Vesak is the main event in Buddhists’ Calendar. The day celebrates Buddha’s birth, enlightenment and death. The event is spiritual where all the Buddhists swarm in the temples, clad in white. Beautiful pandals are set up in many places in the cities. Vesak lanterns which are traditionally made by using bamboo decorate households. A visit at Vesak night around the countryside or cities will be a rewarding experience.

To mark the event and encourage the flow of traditions to the next generations, Vesak lantern competitions are annually organized targeting the Vesak day. There are many shapes of Vesak lanterns and put on exhibition at a declared site. Bauddhaloka Mawatha has been the centre for hosting these lanterns for many years.

Venue: BMICH Sri Lanka is hosting its first ever Boat Show in June. It will open new frontiers of leisure, boating, marine, industrialization and commercial vessels. In Sri Lanka the trend of leisure and adventure boating is yet to found its true potential and this exhibition will promote all these aspects. Exhibition is open for both suppliers and buyers.

Kandy Perehera is considered as the most precious event to all Sri Lankans. There will be special processions known as Kumbal Perahera and Randoli Perahera which is one of the most spectacular pageants in Southeast Asia. The gold casket carrying the sacred tooth relic of Lord Buddha is enshrined and taken in procession. For more information, visit www.sridaladamaligawa.lk

The culinary delights of the World Spice Festival draw on a real mixture of Sri Lankan spices and cooking methods as well as the talents of visiting chefs and the signature spices from their home countries. This year’s World Spice Food Festival promises all the excitement and culinary delights that have endeared by visitors in the past. Participating hotels and restaurants will conduct the food festival for one week in their restaurants.

Many events will be organized in Sri Lanka by the Sri Lanka Tourist Board to mark this event. For more information, visit www.unwto.org/wtd/eng/menu.html

Venue: Colombo Started few years ago, the Colombo Marathon is expected to be developed upto the standard of world famous Marathons. It was previously named LSR International Marathon, where the marathon route cut-across the Colombo city limits. This is being participated not only the Srilankans, but foreign runners as well. The previous Marathon attracted runners from other countries and the organizers expect more participation this year. For more information, visit www.srilankamarathon.org

Venue: Victoria Golf Club Golf is a sport introduced by British to the country. Rated amongst the 100 most beautiful courses by Golf Digest, Victoria Golf Course (www.srilankagolf.com) plays host to this tournament. Sponsored by SriLankan Airlines, the tournament offers some fabulous prizes, and there is also an opportunity to experience the scenic Sri Lankan interior. For more information, visit www.srilankangolf.com

Deepavali is a colorful festival celebrated by Hindus all over the world. This is also known as the festival of lights and one important practice the Hindus follow during the festival is to light oil lamps in their homes. The festival is associated with many legends and beliefs. One of them is to commemorate the killing of Narakasura, a notorious demon, by Lord Krishna. Narakasura, because of his previous store of virtue, had been granted a boon at the moment of his death. He asked that his death might ever be, commemorated as a day of feasting. The fireworks that are burst during Deepavali symbolize the use of fiery weapons used during the war that Krishna waged against the demon. Hindus all in new garments first visit the temples before having their festive meals.

Organized by: Field Ornithology Group of Sri Lanka (FOGSL) Sri Lanka is home for many colorful birds. Over 400 birds including 33 endemics and 200 migrants has been observed from Srilankan soil. The Field Ornithology Group of Sri Lanka (FOGSL) which is the national affiliate of BirdLife International declared the month of December as the National Bird Month including many activities. December is the peak of the Bird Migration season and will record the highest number of birds. Anyone can participate this event. Participants have simply go out bird watching to as many places as possible. Make a list of species seen and mail it to fogsl. These data can be fed online and will be later analyzed and used for conservation purposes. For more information, visit www.fogsl.lk

Adam’s Peak or Sri Pada is an important pilgrim site. The devotees of many religions climb the mountain to invoke blessings. Buddhists believe the impression on the summit is the footprint of the Buddha. Sripada is the 4th highest mountain of Sri Lanka and it takes 4-5 hours to reach the peak by foot. The mountain is also named as ‘Samanola Kanda’ or Butterfly Mountain. The area is rich in biodiversity and surrounded by the Peak Wilderness Sanctuary. The pilgrimage season starts on Unduvap Poya in December to May.