Major Yearly Festivals & Events of the North

Chiang Mai Flower Festival

1. Chiang Mai Flower Festival, Chiang Mai (The 1st weekend of February)
Chiang Mai is famous for its variety of valley flowers. Most of them bloom from January to February, which is regarded as the most beautiful period of Chiang Mai. The interesting highlight of this festival is a procession of flower floats decorated with a beautiful array of floral species.

Lampang Historical Train & Horse Carriage Festival

2. Lampang Historical Train & Horse Carriage Festival, Lampang (end of March)
Horse-drawn carriages are a unique way of transport in Lampang. So, this festival is held annually to emphasize the importance of them. In the fair, meet a historical memorial procession, indigenous food fair, local performances and so on.

Lanna-Thai style Songkran Festival

3. Lanna-Thai style Songkran Festival, Chiang Mai and all the northern provinces (13-15April)
One of the best places to experience Lanna-Thai style Songkran is Chiang Mai, where it is celebrated on a grand scale with a unique flavour. Highlights are the Phra Phuttha Sihing procession, merit-making activities, a sand-stupa building contest and water-splashing. Other provinces also celebrate the festival mostly joyously.

Poi Sang Long Festival

4. Poi Sang Long Festival, Mae Hong Son (end of March or early of April)
This is a mass ordination ceremony for young boys entering the monkhood. This delightful festival features processions of the novices-to-be in colourful traditional costumes, wearing sun-glasses and turbans decorated with beautiful flowers. These boys will ride on other men's shoulders in the processions.

Elephant-back Ordination Festival (Buat Chang Hat Siao Festival)

5. Elephant-back Ordination Festival (Buat Chang Hat Siao Festival), Sukhothai (April)
It is a festival of the Thai Phuan people who migrated from the northern part of Vientiane of Laos. What makes this festival so spectacular is that all the monks-or novices-to-be will get dressed in colourful costumes and ride on elephant backs and walk in procession with musical band around the city.

The Ceremony of Immersing a Buddha Image

6. The Ceremony of Immersing a Buddha Image, Phetchabun (September)
Annually, on the full moon day of the 10th lunar month at Wat Trai Phum, Phra Phuttha Maha Thamma Racha, the sacred Buddha image of Phetchabun, is put into the water by the governor of Phetchabun. It is believed that failure to perform this ritual will result in drought and crop failure in the province.

Buatong Blooming Season on Doi Mae U-kho

7. Buatong Blooming Season on Doi Mae U-kho, Mae Hong Son (November-December)
During the mentioned period, visitors to Mae Hong Son will be fascinated to see a sea of golden Mexican sunflowers blooming along both sides of the road over the rolling hills for miles. A photo competition, a mountain bike racing and cultural performances are usually organized.

Loi Krathong Sai Festival

8. Loi Krathong Sai Festival, Tak (November)
This is the romantic festival of Tak Province. The long line of one thousand lit vessels drifting down the Ping River on Loi Krathong Day will make you love Tak. At the fair, there will be a competition of krathongs* and a beauty contest. Folk entertainment and celebrations will be held.

*Krathong is a receptacle traditionally made of banana leaf decorated with colourful flowers.

Chiang Mai Yi-peng Festival

9. Chiang Mai Yi-peng Festival, Chiang Mai (November)
This is one of several impressive festivals Chiang Mai is proud of. The scene of thousands of glittering lanterns floating into the sky at night is so awesomely beautiful like a painting of a proficient artist. Activities at the fair are: Lantern processions, krathong contests, a Miss Yi-peng contest, local entertainments and a food fair.

Loi Krathong-Phao Thian Len Fai Festival

10. Loi Krathong-Phao Thian Len Fai Festival, Sukhothai (November)
One of the grandest festivals of Sukhothai. Phao Thian means to burn candles and Len Fai means to play fireworks. This is an ancient festival believed to be originated in the Sukhothai Period (1238-1378). Activities at the fair are such as magnificent Krathong processions, displays of fireworks, a beauty contest and folk entertainments.

11. Satok Chang Fair, Lampang (1st weekend of December)
Satok is the same as khantok* but for the gigantic elephants, khantok is of an enormous size. At the fair, each large satok is loaded with various kinds of fruits and vegetables such as bananas, sugar cane, papayas and cucumbers. All are prepared as a meal for the jumbos. The fair features elephant processions, elephant sport competitions including elephant football.

Amazing Mae Salong Tea, Sakura & Tribal Food Fair

12. Amazing Mae Salong Tea, Sakura & Tribal Food Fair, Chiang Rai (at the end of December)
In the cool season of each year, the fair is held to promote Chiang Rai's pristine natural attractions, unique art and culture. During the fair, many interesting activities are such as tea exhibition, tea shop contest, beauty contest, singing contest as well as tribal food and a simulation of tribal festivities.

If you would like to join in any festival, please gather more information from Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) on tel: 0 2250 5500 or www.tat.or.th. You can also contact any travel agent to arrange everything for you.