Festivals in Spiti are intimately tied to the agricultural cycle, harsh changing seasons, and the Tibetan lunar calendar.
* **Losar:** The Tibetan New Year (usually falling in February or March) is the most significant valley-wide festival, celebrated with communal feasts, traditional dances, and elaborate monastic rituals. * **Ladarcha Fair:** Held annually in August in Kaza, this historic trade fair traditionally brought together locals and traders from Tibet, Ladakh, and Kinnaur. Today, it is a massive cultural celebration featuring traditional sports, local commerce, and regional music. * **Gutor Festival:** Held at key gompas like Key Monastery just before Losar, this festival features the spectacular Cham (masked) dances, culminating in the burning of an effigy representing negative forces.