Chiang Mai Flower Festival Parade
Every year during the first weekend in February is the Chiang Mai Flower Festival. The city is awash with vibrant colors ranging from the electric orange and lilac colors of the bougainvillea to the velvety blossoms of petunias in all shades of pink, white and purple. The strident red of the poinsettias, bought by many at Christmas and New Years, is echoed by beds of scarlet salvias. Homes and shop owners alike line the city streets with colorful flower boxes. The sheer profusion of color that the flower festival and carnival brings to Chiang Mai aptly gives the city its name "Rose of the North".
On all three days of the festival, prize blooms are on display at Suan Buak Haad near the city center. Every type of flower, miniature tree and orchid is put on display for the judges to choose the best of the species. Landscape specialists put on an elaborate display, which includes patios and waterfalls with exotic decorative plants and flowers.The best part of the flower festival is on Saturday. This is when we load our lawn chairs and ice chest in the pick-up and head to D.K. Bookstore along the moat in the city center. We go there because there is plenty of parking and excellent coffee and pastry shops.
On the way we passed the flower covers floats, Hill Tribes and Thais in their traditional dress and uniformed marching bands all getting in line to start the parade. We had to leave the house before 8 AM as the parade start around 9 AM. Although it would not be until 10 AM until the parade reached us we had lots of fun eating Thai food from local vendors, relaxing in our lawn chairs at curbside and watching the world go by.
The parade lines up from the train station to Narawatt bridge so the police close most of Jarenmuang Road around 8 AM. The VIP viewing stand is right next to the bridge in front of the Chiang Mai Governor's home. The Parade route goes down Thapae Road to the Gate and turns left and follows the moat to Suan Buak Haad City Park.
The parade moves at a slow pace and stops several times so there is plenty of time to take pictures of the colorful floats, pretty girls and hill tribe people in costume. The people in the parade hand out roses to spectators lining the road.
When the parade finishes everyone heads to Suan Buak Haad where all the floats, award winning flower growers and landscapers projects are all on display. There are plenty of food stalls located in the park and in late afternoon the Miss Chiang Mai Flower festival starts. The party goes well into the evening until the new Flower Festival Queen is chosen.
This is a great time to visit Chiang Mai, as the air is cool and the evenings fresh and clear. If you want to see the festival make sure you book your hotels and flights well in advance.
Created byAll Thailand Experiences. and "Welcome to Chiang Mai & Chiang Rai" Magazine.
Chiang Mai Thailand Flower Festival Parade Video
Chiang Mai Thailand Flower Festival 2008 Part 2
Chiang Mai Thailand Flower Festival 2008 Part 3
Other Thailand Festivals
Here are links to learn about the other Thailand Festivals and videos.
- Songkran or the Thai New Year
- Songkran, or the Thai New Year, is still the most important of all the Thai festivals and holidays. My Thai wife and I usually have loads of friends from other countries to our home and we love to have them participate in all the traditional activities with us. Although we are not Buddhists we love to go to the temples to watch the activities, eat, drink, throw water and just have fun. Each year, the four-day celebration of Songkran consists of many activities, and these are briefly explained in the article.
- The Loi Krathong Festival in Chiang Mai Thailand.
- If you like candles placed in colorful paper lanterns, fireworks, beautiful girls in traditional dress, parade floats, lots of food, and parties, do not miss the Loi Krathong festival. Of course, it is much more than this to the Thai people. Read on to learn more.
Thailand Links
- All Thailand Experiences
- Inside our web site you will find Thailand sightseeing tours, Thailand Vacation planning, shopping, bird watching trips, Golf, trekking, hiking, camping, Thai food cooking lessons, elephant riding, rafting , boating, deep sea fishing, diving, snorkeling , accommodations and many other available activities in Thailand. From Bangkok to Chiang Mai in the north to Phuket in the south and all areas in between we can make your holiday vacation a wonderful experience you will remember for a lifetime. Experience a private cultural and nature tour or a low budget tour or soft adventure using local transportation with your guide, now this is a real Thailand Experience. Also look at our amazing videos of festivals, popular destinations and adventures.
- Thailand Travel and Culture Group
- Welcome to Thailand Travel and Culture. Please take your time and look around, read our articles and look at our videos. Experience the real Thailand but most of all have fun exploring what Thailand is all about.
- Thai Food Recipies with Video Cooking Lessons
- Learn how to cook real delicious Thai food at home from Thai Chef Khun Chanrat Karatna in Chiang Mai Thailand. Recipes and Videos makes it easy.
Thailand festivals on Amazon
Traditional Festivals in Thailand (Images of Asia)
Amazon Price: (as of 12/09/2009) 
Thailand (Festivals of the World)
Amazon Price: (as of 12/09/2009)
Loy Krathong and Songkran festival (Thailand culture series)
Amazon Price: (as of 12/09/2009)
Thai religion, festivals, and ceremonies (All about Thailand)
Amazon Price: (as of 12/09/2009)
Thailand flowers on eBay
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by allthai
I have been living in Thailand since 1989. I have traveled extensively
throughout the Kingdom and want to share my wonderful experiences of
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