Naadam 2015 Events

NAADAM 2015

Naadam festival, (11-13 July 2015), is the happiest time in Mongolia. 
It is also the peak of the tourist season. 
In Mongolian Naadam is known as "eriin gurvan naadam" (эрийн гурван наадам), 
meaning - the 3 games of men. The 3 games are horse racing, archery and Mongolian wrestling. 
Some call it the Nomadic Olympic Games. 
These games have existed for centuries and incorporate warrior skills.

The festival is performed throughout the country. 
The central ceremonies and competitions are held in Ulaanbaatar.
This year (2015) in UB there will be 512 wrestlers competing in 10 rounds, 420  of them hold a state title. 
Horses in six age categories will be dashing across the Khui Doloon Khudag horse racing fields.

All national events will take place in the city (Ulan Bator), except for the horse racing, 
which will take place in the Khui Doloon Khudag horse racing fields 
west of Ulaanbaatar on the main road leading to Lun see map





Tickets for tourists
For the opening ceremony July 11th tickets for tourists cost 25USD
Tour operators and hotels can purchase ahead of time for their customers.
Tickets for the stadium 11-12 July events  cost 16,000MNT to 24,000MNT depending on location.
Tickets will be sold from July 6th, only 4 tickets per person will be sold.
Lines to the box office are long. Beware of pickpockets, stand in line with empty pockets.

Cost of tickets (color coded) for the 11-12 July 2015 events at the stadium.

Free bus shuttle
Free bus rides to the stadium and to the horse race fields 
will run during Naadam events from the following parking lots: 
Misheel EXPO  Мишээл EXPO
Dunjingarav  Дүнжингарав


Horse racing
Horse racing takes place at the horse racing fields - see Google map of racing location
The racing field is named  "khui Doloon Khudag" (Mongolian: Хүй долоон худаг)
Racing during 10-11-12-13 July, each day from 10:00am to 08:00pm

July 3-5 Uriankhai people Naadam
Will celebrate and parade at Chinggis square.
The Uriankhai people (Mongolian: Урианхай) live in west Mongolia.


July 10th 17:00-21:00 - Mini Naadam at the National Museum
A special event to learn all about Naadam at the National Museum
Location:  Tourist street  (Жуулчны гудамж-1 Улаанбаатар-14201)
Phone: + 976-11-326802, + 976-70110911, 99123922  (ask a local to call for details)
You will learn the rules of Mongolian archery, and get to practice Mongolian wrestling.
Listen to music played on traditional horse head fiddle.  
Source

Ulaanbaatar stadium events

July 11 Satureday

10:00 opening ceremonies at the stadium

and than archery and wrestling. (and "ankle bone" competitions at a separate tent).

July 12 Sunday

From 08:00AM archery and wrestling

at 08:00PM  closing ceremony at the stadium

More details in Mongolian

Countryside Naadam

What to expect

Each aimag (province) will celebrate a 2 day local Naadam festival during July 2015.
These local events are aimed for the local communities, and are free of charge.

Tourists are welcome to join, but there are limited facilities for tourists.  
Almost no English is spoken, there are no road signs directing you to the exact location of the Naadam celebration fields, your driver will have to ask around.
The events take place in open fields within a short drive from the Aimag (province) capital city.

In contrast to the main spectacular and somewhat touristic events in Ulaanbaatar, 

the countryside events give you a much closer point of view, 

you get to mingle with the locals, 

and experience an authentic and traditional way of celebrating Naadam. 

Naadam showcases the 3 Sports of Mongolia - wrestling, horse racing, and archery. 

After the opening ceremony on the first day, 

you will enjoy 2 days of wrestling, multiple horse races, and an archery event. 

The Naadam horse race is 10-30 km long with dozens of local contestants. 

Local foods are sold or shared by locals. 

You will notice people consume large amounts of airag (fermented mare’s milk), 

huushur (fried bread stuffed with meat),  and aaruul (dried milk curds), 

these are as important to Naadam as watching the events. 

The competitions take place about 2-4 km out of the aimag capital city. 

Taxis (private vehicles) to the fields cost about 2,000-4,000 MNT. Walking and hitchhiking is an option.

Horse races in some cases are away from the main event fields, and might require another taxi ride.

Countryside Naadam events 2015

This map and table below are updated from time to time, dates may change. Check with locals before going.

source for dates: mnb.mn/p/57592

For better communication, and useful when asking directions - 
copy from the table below the Mongolian names of the Aimag (province) and capital city you are heading to. 

Seal	Provinces	Naadam Dates	Population*			Capital
	Arkhangai (Архангай)	July 10-11	Large			Tsetserleg (Цэцэрлэг)
	Bayan-Ölgii (Баян-Өлгий)	July 10-11	Large			Ölgii (Өлгий)
	Bayankhongor (Баянхонгор)	July 8-10	Large			Bayankhongor (Баянхонгор)
	Bulgan (Булган)	July 9-10	Medium	Bulgan Sum's 4-5 July.		Bulgan (Булган)
	Darkhan-Uul (Дархан-Уул)	July 9-11	Large			Darkhan (Дархан)
	Dornod (Дорнод)	July 10-11	Large	Dornod sum's will celebrate 1-2, 6-7, 15-16, 16-17 source		Choibalsan (Чойбалсан)
	Dornogovi (Дорноговь)	July 10-11	Large			Sainshand (Сайншанд)
	Dundgovi (Дундговь)	July 26-27	Medium			Mandalgovi (Мандалговь)
	Govi-Altai (Говь-Алтай)	July 7-9	Medium			Altai (Алтай)
	Govisümber (Говьсүмбэр)	July 8-9	Small			Choir (Чойр)
	Khentii (Хэнтий)	July 8-9	Large	Khentii Sum's 8-10, 16-17,		Öndörkhaan (Өндөрхаан)
	Khovd (Ховд)	July 10-11	Large	Khovd sum's 4-6, 25-26		Khovd (Ховд)
	Khövsgöl (Хөвсгөл)	July 10-11	Large	Khovsgol Sum's 10-11, 19-20		Mörön (Мөрөн)
	Ömnögovi (Өмнөговь)	July 25-26	Large			Dalanzadgad (Даланзадгад)
	Orkhon (Орхон)	July 10-11	Large			Erdenet (Эрдэнэт)
	Övörkhangai (Өвөрхангай)	July 10-11	Large	Kharkhorin Sum 8-9 and 24-26 Danshig.		Arvaikheer (Арвайхээр)
	Selenge (Сэлэнгэ)	July 9-11	Large			Sükhbaatar (Сүхбаатар)
	Sükhbaatar (Сүхбаатар)	July 17-19	Medium	Regional event 25-26		Baruun-Urt (Баруун-Урт)
	Töv (Төв)	July 8-10	Large			Zuunmod (Зуунмод)
	Uvs (Увс)	July 25-26	Large	Uvs sum's 18-19		Ulaangom (Улаангом)
	Zavkhan (Завхан)	July 10-11	Large			Uliastai (Улиастай)
	Ulaanbaatar (Улаанбаатар)	July 11-13	1,400,000			National Capital

* Population index (size of province by number of inhabitants)
Small:         up to 10,000  inhabitants 
Medium:     10,000 -   50,000 inhabitants 
Large:         50,000 - 100,000 inhabitants  

Naadam Public Ceremonies

in Ulaanbaatar July 2015

	Cultural event	Organizer	Venue	Date	Time
1	"Best of classics" Classical concert	City Cultural Department	Chinggis Square	July 4	08PM
2	State Honorary Concert	National Philharmonics	Chinggis Square	July 10	03PM
3	Fireworks	UB	Chinggis Square	July 11	11PM
4	The State Banquet Concert	National Philharmonics	Ih Tenger	July 11	07PM
5	Children`s Gala Concert	Children Palace	Chinggis Square	July 11	09PM
6	Ub Evening	City Cultural Department	Chinggis Square	July 12	09PM
7	Mongolian Dance Festival	City Cultural Department	Chinggis Square	July 12	10PM
8	“Silence White” DJ Party	City Cultural Department	National Amusement Park	July 12	10PM
9	"Deeltei Mongol" Traditional Dress Festival	City Cultural Department, City Tourism Department	Chinggis Square	July 13	09PM, 03PM
10	Local arts crafts cloths	Small business office	Chinggis Square	July 10	09AM -07PM
11	"Morin Khuur" International Festival	City Cultural Department	Chinggis Square	July 15	08PM
12	Cultural concert at outside of the central park	Mongolian Youth Union of Art	Outside of the stadium	July 11, 12	01PM-07PM
13	Cultural concert at the camp			July 11, 12	10AM-07PM
14	Сultural Event at Hui Doloon Hudag	University of Culture and Art	Hui Doloon Hudag	July 10-13	Everyday 10AM—12AM
15	“Aduuchin” Festival	Union of Mongolian horse herders	Hui Doloon Hudag	July 14	10AM-05PM
16	Flag Ceremony	State Ceremonial Offie	Chinggis Square	July 10-12	for 3 days
17	Fine Art Exhibition	Mongolian Fine Art Gallery	Hall of Mongolian Fine Art Gallery	July 01-25	for 25 days 10AM - 10PM

Sum (=district) Naadam celebrations

More Sum (=district) Naadam 2015 celebrations.

Bayankhongor aimag:    map of sum locations in Bayankhongor province

• Bogd sum (Mongolian: Богд)  July 29th to August 1st. 
• Bayanlig sum (Mongolian: Баянлиг) July 8-10.

Arkhangai aimag:  map of sum locations in Arkhangai province

• Erdenmandal sum (Mongolian: Эрдэнэмандал) July 15-17
• Khngai sum (Mongolian: Хангай ) July 10-11

Dundgovi aimag: map of sum locations in Dundgovi province

• Bayanjargalan sum (Mongolian: Баянжаргалан) July 23-25
• Ulaanbadrakh sum (Mongolian: Улаанбадрах) July 16-17

NATIONAL ANNIVERSARIES

The Naadam celebrations in the year of 2015 commemorate the various anniversaries of the Mongolian state through history.

Celebrating the 2224th  anniversary of the Hun Empire
The establishment of the Hun state (Xiongnu, Хүн улс) by Toumen in the 3rd century BCE 
marks the beginning of statehood on the territory of Mongolia.  
His son Modu Shanyu conquered and unified various tribes. 
At the peak of its power, the Hun confederacy stretched from Lake Baikal in the north (Russia today) 
to the Great Wall of China in the south.

Genghis Khan

Celebrating the 809th anniversary of the Great Mongol Empire  
The Mongol Empire was founded by Genghis Khan in 1206. At the peak of its power, the Mongol empire stretched all the way to Europe.

Celebrating the 102nd anniversary of National Freedom 
During the collapse of the Qing (Chinese) Dynasty  in 1911, Mongolia declared independence.  Bogd Gegeen was enthroned as Bogd Khaan (Great Khan, or Emperor) of Mongolia on 29 December 1911.


Celebrating the 94th anniversary of the People's Revolution

Sukhbaatar and Choibalsan,
revolution leaders.

Under strong Soviet influence, the Mongolian People's Republic was declared in 1921. The revolution against the Chinese began on  March 18, 1921 when 400 volunteer troops led by Sukhbaatar attacked the 2000 Chinese garrison in Kyakhta at the northern frontier of Mongolia. The Mongolian People's Party troops and Russian Red Army troops entered Urga (Ulaanbaatar of today) in July 1921.

Celebrating 25th year of democracy
After the breakdown of Soviet communist regimes in late 1989, Mongolia began its own democratic revolution in early 1990, which led to a multi-party system, a new constitution in 1992 and a transition to a market economy. 

Video

In English - a 3 minute video explaining Mongolian wrestling