Vesak is considered as a religious as well as a cultural festival in Sri Lanka.

The day become important for the Buddhists with three significant incidents of the Buddha’s life, which took place on this day. They are the birth of Siddhartha Gautama, the Enlightenment (becoming the Buddha), and the Lord Buddha's Parinibbana (Passing away) over 2500 years ago at Kusinagar.

Many religious activities are organized during this period in Sri Lanka such as Sil campaigns, Bodhi Poojas, Dansalas, Vesak devotional songs (Bakthi Gee), pandols and lanterns. As it is mainly a religious event, for devout Buddhists, religious observances form the main activities of the festival.