Church Fiesta: there are a number of lovely churches in Negomobo, and on Sea street there’s a colourful procession held during the annual church festival that occurs at the end of January. The community has a very large Christian population.

National Day: in early February there are celebrations all over the island marking the nation’s independence from Britain. This important day has been celebrated annually since 1948. In Negombo events include sporting competitions, dances and parades.

Medin Poya Day: in March the full-moon day of the Buddhist calendar commemorate the Buddha’s return home to deliver a sermon to his family on enlightenment. Activities on this day include making merit, mediation and religious studies.

New Year Festival: the festival of Aluth Avurudda marks the Sinhalese and Tamil New Year. As this event occurs at the time of the annual harvest, fruits are given as gifts during the celebrations. Most businesses close for the week of festivities, allowing families to spend time together. Traditional events such as elephant races are held in Negombo as well as in other parts of the country.

Vesak: in commemoration of the birth, death and enlightenment of the Buddha, the streets of many communities in Sri Lanka are colourfully-decorated with lanterns and lighting displays. Events last for a week, with many residents making donations to charities in the form of rice and other food items.

Fisherman’s Festival: the well-known Fisherman’s Festival of the Negombo area draws visitors from around the island to watch local fisherman haul in their catch. It seems that everyone with a fishing craft participates in this event, and you’ll see catch such as crabs, prawns, lobsters and even sharks being unloaded throughout the festival.

Fire-walking Festival: just inland from Chilaw are the ruins of Panduwas Nuwara, the capital of an ancient kingdom. The Temple of Munnesvaram, the residence of the supreme god, is situated nearby, and is the site where devotees claim that Vishnu once worshipped. In August, a temple festival occurs here, with fire-walking being the highlight.

National Festival of Kites: in many parts of Asia, you’ll come across kite flying competitions, and the Negombo area is no exception. There’s a nation festival held each year that rewards kite-making design. Large numbers of people come to admire the unusual and colourful kites made from strips of old sarees and decorated with dried flowers and leaves.

Navarathri Festival: this Hindu celebration runs for nine days and nights, and is held in honour of the Goddess Durga who fought against the evil forces of Asura. Prayers are offered up for three nights to the goddess of bravery, followed by three nights of prayer to the goddess of wealth, and ending with three nights of prayer to the goddess of education.

World Spice Festival: the country has been famous as a source of exotic spices for centuries, and this festival is a celebration of the variety of spices native to Sri Lanka and to the cuisine which incorporates them. Additionally, visiting chefs prepare special dishes with spices from their own countries during the festival. You can sample dishes from Africa, Australia and Asian countries such as China, India, Malaysia and Thailand.

Christmas: Christianity took hold in Sri Lanka during the periods of European occupation, with Catholicism having the most followers. Christmas is enthusiastically celebrated in Negombo, which has a particularly large Christian population. Streets and buildings are decorated with lights in early December. Shops and malls entice shoppers with special sales in the days leading up to the holidays, and you can hear Christmas carols and see nativity plays at a number of venues around town.