Culinary traditions are an important part of the local culture, so several times a year Colombo hosts a street food festival. Its permanent venue is Hospital Street, which turns into a grandiose open-air restaurant during the festival. Famous chefs from all over the country compete in the preparation of popular dishes, all culinary masterpieces are prepared right in front of the audience. The gastronomic event is very popular with locals and always attracts many tourists. Besides tasting the unique dishes, its visitors can enjoy interesting street performances, concerts, and culinary workshops from leading chefs of Sri Lanka.
Along with such modern events, symbolic historical festivals are also held in Colombo. One of the most significant of them is the Duruthu Perahera that was first held in 1927. This festival is dedicated to an important religious event - Buddha's visit to the city, which took place more than 2.5 thousand years ago. During festive days, beautiful solemn processions are organized, interesting ceremonies are held in temples, and the most valuable Buddhist artifacts are presented to the public. The annual festival is full of solemnity and remarkable in that absolutely everyone irrespective of religion can join it.
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