Cambodian Independence Day is celebrated every year with festivals, parades and firework displays all over the country. The date celebrates Cambodia’s Declaration of Independence from France (a protectorate not a colony) on the 9th of November, 1953.

The main celebrations are held in Phnom Penh. Beginning with a formal ceremony at the Independence Monument, followed by a parade of colorful floats and marching bands in front of the Royal Palace. At night the Royal Palace and other buildings are illuminated and a huge fireworks display takes place on the riverside.