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Next: 8 Aug 2027

Qixi Festival

The seventh night of the seventh month: the cowherd and the weaver girl meet across the Milky Way.

Qixi Festival: The reunion of the couple of The Weaver Girl and the Cowherd on the bridge of magpies. Artwork in the Long Corridor of the Summer Palace in Beijing.
Photo: shizhao ( talk )拍摄，画者不明, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

When is Qixi Festival in 2027?

Qixi Festival 2027 is on Sunday, 8 August 2027. Other years: 2026, Wednesday, 19 August 2026; 2028, Saturday, 26 August 2028.

About Qixi Festival

Qixi, the seventh night of the seventh lunar month, retells the story of Niulang, a cowherd, and Zhinu, a weaver girl who is a celestial being. They are separated by the Milky Way, the river in the sky, and are allowed to cross a bridge of magpies to meet on this one night in the year. Traditionally, young women prayed to Zhinu for skill with needle and thread, and for a good husband, and set out fruits and flowers on an altar. They threaded needles in moonlight to test their dexterity. In recent years the day has become a day for couples, similar to Valentine's Day. In Japan the same story is the basis of Tanabata, and in Korea of Chilseok.

Qixi Festival dates: 2026, 2027, 2028

YearQixi Festival date
2026Wednesday, 19 August 2026
2027Sunday, 8 August 2027
2028Saturday, 26 August 2028

What is eaten

  • qiaoguo
  • fruit

Traditions of Qixi Festival

TanabataThe Japanese festival of the same story.

Also part of it, and being written: Chilseok (The Korean festival.), The Cowherd and the Weaver Girl (The folktale.).

More marked on Qixi Festival

🇨🇳 China and 2 moreQixi Festival七夕 A Chinese night of romance, needlecraft wishes and stargazing for two mythic loversFestival
About this page

Written by the EveryParampara desk with AI assistance. Background: "Qixi Festival" on Wikipedia. Customs differ from place to place and family to family. If this is your tradition and we have it wrong, tell us.

Photo credits on this page

The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.

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