The Golden Eagle festival is held during the first weekend in October in Bayan-Ölgii aimag (province),A small scale but similar festival, the Altai Kazakh Eagle Festival is held in last week of September. This festival is held near the village of Sagsai, about 40km from Olgii town .Dark, rocky mountainous terrain forms the backdrop to the festivities. This small eagle festival features about 40 eagle hunters.
Dressed in full eagle hunting regalia and mounted on groomed decorated horses, the entrants compete for the awards of Best Turned Out Eagle and Owner; Best Eagle at Hunting Prey and Best Eagle at Locating Its Owner from a Distance. The hunting demonstrations consist of eagles hunting for a fox skin being dragged on a rope behind a horse. Other sporting activities include horse racing, archery and the highly entertaining Bushkashi - goatskin tug of war on horseback.
