Thailand observes the birthday anniversary of Her Majesty Queen Sirikit, the Queen Mother, on 12 August each year, and also celebrates it nationally...
Chiang Mai Events
Chiang Mai has one of northern Thailand’s richest annual event calendars, combining major cultural festivals, Buddhist observances, public holidays, arts events and seasonal celebrations. The current Chiang Mai Travel Hub listings run across 2026 and 2027 and include major events such as Loy Krathong and Yi Peng, Songkran, Chiang Mai Flower Festival, Bo Sang Umbrella Festival, Chiang Mai Design Week and the Inthakin Festival.
The calendar is especially strong around traditional Lanna culture and Buddhist observances, while newer events add design, art and creative industries to the mix. Some dates are fixed each year, while others follow lunar calendars or are announced closer to the event, so future listings may remain TBA until organisers confirm final details.
What’s On Across Chiang Mai
- Lantern festivals – Loy Krathong and Yi Peng are among Chiang Mai’s most famous events, with temple ceremonies, krathong floating, decorative lanterns and controlled sky-lantern events.
- Songkran – Thai New Year brings water celebrations, temple visits and citywide festivities every April.
- Flower and handicraft festivals – Chiang Mai Flower Festival and Bo Sang Umbrella Festival showcase horticulture, traditional crafts and local culture.
- Arts and design – Chiang Mai Design Week and the Nimmanhaemin Art & Design Promenade highlight contemporary design, creativity and northern craftsmanship.
- Religious and public holidays – Makha Bucha, Visakha Bucha, Asarnha Bucha, Khao Phansa and national holidays add temple ceremonies and important cultural observances throughout the year.
Browse the listings below for confirmed dates, upcoming festivals and Chiang Mai events across 2026 and 2027.
H.M. King Bhumibol Adulyadej the Great Memorial Day is observed throughout Thailand on 13 October each year. The national public holiday commemorates the passing of King Bhumibol Adulyadej the Great, or King Rama IX, on...
Thailand observes Chulalongkorn Memorial Day on 23 October each year. The national public holiday commemorates King Chulalongkorn, also known as King Rama V, who died on 23 October 1910. Known in Thai as Wan...
Wan Awk Phansa is an important Buddhist observance marking the end of Vassa, the annual three-month rains retreat observed by Theravada Buddhist monks. In 2026, Wan Awk Phansa falls on Monday, 26 October. The observance...
Northern Thailand’s sunflower blooming season brings vivid yellow fields to the countryside during the cooler months. The most famous display is the Bua Tong field at Doi Mae U Kho in Mae Hong Son Province, where...
Loy Krathong
Various Locations Across Chiang Mai and CAD Cultural Center Lanna, Chang Moi, Chiang Mai24 November 2026 to 25 November 2026
Loy Krathong and Yi Peng are among Chiang Mai’s most beautiful and important festivals, filling the city with candles, floating krathongs, illuminated temples, and traditional Lanna celebrations. In 2026, the main...
Chiang Mai Design Week returns from 5 to 13 December 2026, bringing nine days of exhibitions, creative markets, workshops, performances and industry programs to locations across Chiang Mai. Organised by the Creative...
Nimmanhaemin Art & Design Promenade
Nimmanhaemin Soi 1, Suthep, Mueang Chiang Mai05 December 2026 to 11 December 2026
The Nimmanhaemin Art & Design Promenade, commonly known as NAP, returns to Chiang Mai from 5 to 11 December 2026. The annual creative event takes place along Nimmanhaemin Soi 1 in the city’s fashionable Nimman...
King Bhumibol Adulyadej’s Birthday / Father’s Day
Many Locations, Chiang Mai, Thailand05 December 2026
Thailand observes King Bhumibol Adulyadej’s birthday nationwide on 5 December. The date is also recognised as Thailand’s National Day and National Father’s Day, combining remembrance of the late King...
Thailand observes Constitution Day on 10 December each year. The national public holiday commemorates the promulgation of Thailand’s first permanent constitution in 1932 and the country’s transition from an...
The Chiang Mai Marathon is one of northern Thailand’s leading road-running events, attracting thousands of local and international competitors to the heart of Chiang Mai. Held during the cooler early hours of a...
Chiang Mai New Year’s Eve combines city-centre nightlife, temple visits, dining, cultural celebrations and one of northern Thailand’s largest organised countdown events as the city welcomes 2027...
Chiang Mai Cherry Blossom Viewing
Khun Chang Khian and other Chiang Mai highland locations, Chang Phueak, Chiang Mai2027 blossom timing varies by location
Cherry blossom viewing around Chiang Mai takes visitors into the highlands, where Wild Himalayan cherry trees bring pink flowers to research stations and mountain landscapes during the cool season. The pleasure is in...
New Year’s Day in Chiang Mai can begin with Buddhist worship, a slow breakfast or an outing into the city after the previous night’s celebrations. The change of calendar year is widely observed, but the most...
Bo Sang Umbrella Festival
Bo Sang Umbrella Village, San Kamphaeng, Chiang Mai15 January 2027 to 17 January 2027
The Bo Sang Umbrella Festival is one of northern Thailand’s most colourful and creative celebrations, held each January in Bo Sang, just east of Chiang Mai. Celebrating the village’s centuries-old tradition of handmade...
Wai Sa Phaya Mengrai is an important festival held in Northern Thailand. The festival is celebrated between 26th January and 4th February each year.
Chiang Mai Flower Festival
Nong Buak Haad Public Park and the Chiang Mai Old City, Phra Sing, Chiang MaiTBA - February 2027
The Chiang Mai Flower Festival fills the city with floral displays, decorated floats and celebrations of northern Thailand’s gardening traditions. Its best-known attraction is a parade through central Chiang Mai...
Makha Bucha Day brings Chiang Mai’s Buddhist communities together for merit-making, listening to teachings and candlelit processions. For visitors, its appeal lies in seeing a familiar temple become a place of...
Chakri Memorial Day recalls the founding of Thailand’s Chakri dynasty under King Rama I. Observed on 6 April each year, it is a day of royal remembrance and formal tribute rather than a visitor festival with a...
Songkran returns to Chiang Mai from Tuesday, 13 to Thursday, 15 April 2027, bringing three days of Thai New Year traditions, temple ceremonies, processions and large-scale water celebrations to the city. Chiang Mai is...
National Labour Day in Thailand recognises the contribution of workers and brings attention to employment, welfare and workplace safety. In Chiang Mai, it can involve organised worker activities as well as a day off for...
Coronation Day commemorates the coronation of King Maha Vajiralongkorn, Rama X, in May 2019. In Chiang Mai, the occasion is expressed through formal tribute, religious observance and civic participation. It provides a...
Visakha Bucha Day is an important Thai festival marked on the full moon day of every sixth lunar month. The religious festival is also very insightful.
Inthakin Festival brings Chiang Mai residents to Wat Chedi Luang to honour the city pillar through flowers, prayer and merit-making. Within the busy Old City, the gathering reveals a close relationship between the...
H.M. Queen Suthida’s Birthday is observed on 3 June, with ceremonies and public expressions of goodwill honouring Thailand’s Queen Consort. In Chiang Mai, the occasion belongs to the city’s civic and...
Khao Phansa, also known as Buddhist Lent Day, marks the beginning of the traditional three-month rains retreat for Buddhist monks and is one of the most meaningful religious observances on Thailand’s Buddhist...
Asahna Bucha is one of Thailand’s most important Buddhist holidays, commemorating the day the Buddha delivered his first sermon and set the foundations of Buddhist teaching in motion. Observed on the full moon of...
H.M. King Maha Vajiralongkorn’s Birthday
Chiang Mai and Thailand Wide, Chiang Mai, Thailand28 July 2027
H.M. King Maha Vajiralongkorn’s Birthday is a national public holiday in Thailand, observed every year on 28 July in honour of King Maha Vajiralongkorn (Rama X). In 2027, the King’s Birthday falls on...
H.M. Queen Sirikit, the Queen Mother’s Birthday / Mother’s Day
Chiang Mai and Thailand Wide, Chiang Mai, Thailand12 August 2027
Thailand observes the birthday anniversary of Her Majesty Queen Sirikit, the Queen Mother, on 12 August each year, and also celebrates it nationally as Mother’s Day. In 2027, the occasion falls on Thursday 12...
What are the biggest annual events in Chiang Mai?
Major annual events include Loy Krathong and Yi Peng, Songkran, Chiang Mai Flower Festival and Bo Sang Umbrella Festival, along with Chiang Mai Design Week and major Buddhist festivals.
When is Loy Krathong and Yi Peng in Chiang Mai in 2026?
The main Loy Krathong night in 2026 falls on 24 November, with related Yi Peng celebrations and some ticketed lantern events taking place across 24 and 25 November. Chiang Mai's full municipal program is still awaiting final confirmation.
When is Songkran in Chiang Mai?
Songkran is traditionally celebrated from 13 to 15 April, with water festivities, temple visits and other New Year traditions taking place across Chiang Mai. The 2027 event is listed for 13-15 April.
Does the Chiang Mai events calendar include public holidays?
Yes. The current calendar includes major Thai public holidays and Buddhist observances alongside festivals, arts events and seasonal celebrations.