Northern Thailand Festivals

Khom Saen Duang (Lamphun Hundred-Thousand Lantern Festival)

● Confirmed dates

Rows of colourful hanging lanterns surround the golden chedi at Wat Phra That Hariphunchai. An atmospheric evening trip from Chiang Mai, with the main ceremonies around Yi Peng.

Chong Para Festival

Tai Yai end-of-Buddhist-Lent celebration with illuminated wooden-castle processions, food and cultural performances. It follows the lunar Awk Phansa date, usually in October.

Chiang Mai Yi Peng (civic festival)

◌ Traditional timing

Lanterns, candlelit temples and floating krathongs fill the Old City and Ping River around the November full moon. The public celebration is separate from ticketed mass lantern releases.

Chiang Mai CAD Khomloy Sky Lantern Festival 2026

Ticketed commercial sky-lantern event on 24–25 November 2026. This is not Chiang Mai’s civic Yi Peng programme; tickets, venue rules and transport must be checked with the organiser.

Bo Sang Umbrella and San Kamphaeng Crafts Festival

Hand-painted paper umbrellas turn Bo Sang’s streets into a colourful open-air craft festival, with demonstrations and village parades. Expect January; the next dates are not yet announced.

Chiang Mai Flower Festival

Flower-covered floats parade through town while Nong Buak Haad Park fills with floral displays. A colourful February weekend, with the next edition’s dates still to be announced.

Poy Sang Long

Children dressed as princes are carried through the streets beneath bright parasols for this Tai Yai novice-ordination tradition. Mae Hong Son and Pai hold separate community celebrations.

Chiang Mai Songkran / Water Festival

◌ Traditional timing

Thai New Year brings water fights around the moat, temple visits, sand pagodas and blessings from elders. The traditional core dates are 13–15 April each year.

Nan traditional boat-racing season

Longboats with carved naga prows race along the Nan River, cheered on by riverside crowds. Several communities host races through the late rainy season; select a specific race before travelling.

Salak Yom Festival

● Confirmed dates

Towering, vividly decorated offering trees arrive in procession for Lamphun’s distinctive merit-making festival. The provincial calendar confirms 20–26 September 2026.