Festivals and celebrationsEast Asia
Golden Eagle Festival
In its own language: Бүргэдийн баяр
An annual gathering in western Mongolia celebrating Kazakh eagle hunting and horsemanship
Held yearly in western Mongolia, this festival brings Kazakh falconers together to test their birds and riding skills. Handlers compete across multiple trials on the open steppe, from hunting accuracy and bird recall to archery and horseback games.
When is Golden Eagle Festival in 2027?
Golden Eagle Festival 2027 runs from 2 to 3 October 2027. Other years: 2026, 3 to 4 October 2026; 2028, 7 to 8 October 2028.
The Golden Eagle Festival gathers Kazakh falconers, known as bürkitshi, in the high steppe of western Mongolia. Mounted hunters showcase their training methods, testing how quickly raptors dive to lures and return to the glove. Alongside falconry trials, participants compete in mounted games, archery, and contests for traditional clothing, keeping regional equestrian and hunting customs active.
Falconry trials and contests
Handlers release their raptors from elevated positions on the steppe to assess speed, obedience, and focus. In one major contest, judges score how swiftly an eagle leaves the hillside to land on its owner's leather gauntlet upon command. Another event tests hunting prowess as the bird swoops down on an artificial lure or simulated quarry. The top performers receive awards based on precision, flying agility, and how reliably they heed their master's call during each trial.
Horseback games and attire
The gathering extends beyond falconry to include vigorous equestrian sports. Riders challenge one another in bushkashi, a contest where two mounted competitors grapple over a goatskin carcass from the saddle. Archery and long-distance horse races also draw enthusiastic participation. Throughout the meet, falconers wear embroidered coats, fur hats, and leather gear, competing for honours in categories celebrating the finest handmade Kazakh garments and ornate horse tackle.
Global visibility and debate
Global interest surged after the 2016 release of the film The Eagle Huntress, charting the success of young competitor Aisholpan. This attention boosted foreign visitor numbers, prompting discussion among ethnographers and hunters regarding commercial influences. Observers like Joseph Recupero and Lauren McGough have noted how tourism affects local habits, including a rise in birds raised strictly for show rather than wilderness hunting, as well as new incentives guiding younger falconers.
Regional autumn gatherings
Beyond the main provincial festival, smaller gatherings occur in neighbouring areas. In the settlement of Uujim within Sagsai district, a related event takes place each September. Around forty eagle handlers assemble there to test their birds and horsemanship under matching tournament rules. Because of its more compact setting, this autumn gathering frequently attracts documentary photographers and visiting journalists who want to witness the falconry traditions up close.
How Golden Eagle Festival is kept
Falconers arrive on horseback in traditional dress, carrying their eagles on their arms. Proceedings begin in central Ölgii before moving to the open steppe nearby. Over the course of the event, judges evaluate raptors on recall speed, lure chasing, and hunting aptitude. Mounted competitors also run horse races, shoot bows, and contest bushkashi matches using a goatskin. At the conclusion, the Mongolian Eagle Hunter's Association awards prizes for hunting merit, bird responsiveness, and superior dress.
When and where
The festival takes place every year in the autumn season. Related regional events, including the gathering in Sagsai district, occur annually during September, aligning with the start of the traditional falconry period on the steppe.
The primary celebration occurs in Bayan-Ölgii Province in western Mongolia, staged within the town of Ölgii and on grasslands four kilometres away. A companion festival is held in the settlement of Uujim.
Golden Eagle Festival dates: 2026, 2027, 2028
| Year | Golden Eagle Festival date |
|---|---|
| 2026 | 3 to 4 October 2026 |
| 2027 | 2 to 3 October 2027 |
| 2028 | 7 to 8 October 2028 |
Questions people ask about Golden Eagle Festival
When is Golden Eagle Festival in 2027?
Golden Eagle Festival 2027 runs from 2 to 3 October 2027. Other years: 2026, 3 to 4 October 2026; 2028, 7 to 8 October 2028.
What is the Golden Eagle Festival?
It is an annual gathering in western Mongolia where Kazakh eagle hunters demonstrate falconry skills, ride in equestrian games, and display handmade regional clothing.
Where does the festival take place?
The main events take place in Bayan-Ölgii Province in western Mongolia, staged both within the town of Ölgii and across the open plains roughly four kilometres outside town.
What competitions are held during the event?
Judges score raptors on how quickly they return to handlers and strike lures. Participants also compete in archery, horse racing, traditional attire presentation, and bushkashi, a mounted goatskin tug-of-war.
What is the Sagsai Golden Eagle Festival?
It is a smaller companion event held each September in the village of Uujim. Around forty eagle handlers compete there in falconry and riding contests.
See also
NaadamA midsummer festival of wrestling, horse racing, and archery kept by Mongols in Mongolia and neighboring regions.
LosarThe Tibetan Buddhist New Year festival of renewal, offerings, and family feasts
Tsagaan SarThe Mongolian Lunar New Year festival of peace, elders, white foods and renewal
ChristmasA festival of Jesus's birth, kept on 25 December with gifts, lights and shared mealsGood reading and sources
The facts on this page come from the Wikipedia article "Golden Eagle Festival", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence, and from its Wikidata record (CC0). EveryParampara rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.
It may contain mistakes. Traditions differ from one family, village and community to the next, and the people who keep them know them best. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-10-04.
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