North Koreans commemorate the holiday by visiting locations that have a connection with the leader's life, such as thousands of statues scattered across the country, or Mangyongdae, his birthplace in the capital Pyongyang.

The most important observances take place in the capital, including visits to the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun, where Kim Il Sung's body lies in rest, and the Mansu Hill Grand Monument, which features a very tall statue of the leader.

Kim Il Sung was born on 15 April 1912 in the village of Mangyongdae, which is now a suburb of North Korea's capital Pyongyang.

It became official in 1968, the year that saw great expansion of his cult of personality in the aftermath of a domestic political crisis known as the Kapsan faction incident.

[13] On the same occasion, North Korea adopted the Juche calendar which begins on the year of Kim Il Sung's birth.

Through April there are exhibitions, fireworks, song and dance events, athletics competitions, Juche seminars and visits to places connected with Kim Il Sung's life,[19] including his birthplace in Mangyongdae.

Foreign art groups and dignitaries are invited to visit North Korea during this time around the day itself known as Sun Festival.

[25] As early as midnight on the morning of Day of the Sun,[3][26] people lay commemorative wreaths and floral baskets at thousands of statues of Kim Il Sung around the country.

[30] The state serves special foods such as meat and liquor[21] as well as necessities to the people on the Day of the Sun to signal that all well-being is thanks to the care of the leader.

[19] The state tries to maintain a stable supply of electricity for the day to allow people to watch television, while theaters show special movies.

[5] According to North Korean defector Kim Hyun-hwa: "The Sun Festival is one of the few occasions during which everyone can eat to their heart's content.

"[26] However, in 2015 the state reportedly failed to distribute rations and did not deliver middle-school uniforms that schoolchildren were expecting to receive.

[21] A similar holiday exists for 16 February, the birthday of former leader Kim Jong Il, known as the Day of the Shining Star.