2016 Shoton Festival will kick off from Sept. 1 to 7, according to the related department. At present, all preparatory work is under way.

The Shoton Festival, also known as the Yogurt Banquet Festival, is one of the most important festivals in Tibet.

Lhasa Shoton Festival was included in the first list of national intangible cultural heritage in 2006.

It was originally a traditional religious occasion during which residents would offer yogurt to monks who had finished their meditation retreats.

The celebration, which combines traditional and modern elements, has helped boost Lhasa's tourism in recent years.