LHASA, Aug. 14 (Xinhua) -- Celebrations for the traditional Shoton Festival, or Yogurt Festival, will begin in Lhasa, capital of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region on Aug. 30, local authorities said Wednesday.

This year's event will feature traditional "sunning of the Buddha" ceremonies, Tibetan opera performances, hiking, ethnic costume shows and equestrian shows.

The festival will last for one week from Aug. 30 to Sept. 5.

Shoton Festival, which literally means "yogurt banquet festival," is one of the most important festivals for Tibetans.

It dates back to the 11th century when it began as a religious ceremony for local residents to offer yogurt to monks finishing their meditation retreats.

Tibet received over 13.4 million Chinese and international tourists from January to June, up 20.2 percent year on year and generating a revenue of about 15 billion yuan (2.1 billion U.S. dollars), according to official statistics.