Chiang Mai Festivals

What Chiang Mai festivals are on, and when?

Chiang Mai festivals from November 2026 to May 2027 start with Yi Peng on 23 to 25 November, run through the music festivals in the hills, Design Week in December, Bo Sang in January and the Flower Festival in February, and end with Songkran in April and the Inthakin festival in May. The table shows each one with its dates and place.

Ask Tanner which weekend fits your trip.

What is Chiang Mai's lantern festival?

The official lantern festival in Chiang Mai is Yi Peng, from Monday 23 to Wednesday 25 November 2026 at the Tonlamyai Market park, and its big night is Tuesday 24 November, when the krathongs go out on the Ping River. The city festival is free, and its main site has moved from Tha Phae Gate to the park.

Yi Peng falls on the full moon of the twelfth lunar month, the same night as Loy Krathong. Be on the river by dark on the 24th, then let your driver take you on to a lantern release.

Sky lanterns go up only in permitted areas and at set times, never in Chiang Mai city itself. In 2026 they're allowed only on 24 and 25 November, from 7pm to 1am, and each release needs its own permit. There's no official list of release sites. The ticketed lantern releases are separate events, sold by their own organisers, and your van takes you out to the release site and back.

Flight times change on the lantern nights, so book your seats early. Read Yi Peng for the festival, and Yi Peng tickets and lantern rules for the ticketed releases.

Which music festivals are in Chiang Mai?

Chiang Mai music festivals run in the hills outside the city from November to January, when the cool season brings dry nights. Here are this season's dates:

• Mycelium Festival: 20 to 22 November 2026 at the Tiger Jungle Art Camp in Chiang Dao, with live, ambient and experimental sound. The full pass is ฿4,450 on the official ticket seller.
• Imagine Festival: 30 December 2026 to 1 January 2027 at Lanna Resort in Hang Dong, music and arts over New Year's Eve.
• Gaia Beats: 22 to 24 January 2027 at a hot spring in Mae On, with downtempo, house, techno and live bands. The Phase 2 full weekend pass is ฿3,500.

Double Dick Tiger, a music and camping festival, runs from 26 to 29 November 2026 in Chiang Dao. The exact site isn't published yet.

Back in the city, Chiang Mai's registered clubs can stay open until 4am.

What's on in December and January?

December and January are Chiang Mai's design and craft season. Chiang Mai Design Week runs from 5 to 13 December 2026 across the old quarters of Klang Wiang, Chang Moi and Tha Phae.

In January the crafts move out of town. The 42nd Bo Sang Umbrella and San Kamphaeng Handicraft Festival runs from Friday 15 to Sunday 17 January 2027 in Bo Sang village, a short drive east of the city. In 2026 it ran from 16 to 18 January with an umbrella parade, craft workshops and a market.

Read Bo Sang Umbrella Festival for the programme.

When does the flower parade roll out?

The Chiang Mai Flower Festival is the city's February flower show and parade at Nong Buak Haad Public Park. It usually runs in early February; the 50th festival's 2027 dates aren't announced yet.

In 2026 the 49th festival ran from 13 to 15 February. The opening and the flower parade started at 7:30am on Saturday 14 February at the foot of Nawarat Bridge, more than 23 floats rolling through Tha Phae Gate to the park, and entry was free every day.

The 2027 dates come out closer to the time. Read Chiang Mai Flower Festival 2027 for the schedule, the parade route and where to watch.

What's Songkran like around the moat?

Songkran in Chiang Mai is Tuesday 13 to Thursday 15 April 2027, three public holidays, and the water fight circles the Old City moat. The city's own festival, Pi Mai Mueang, the Lanna New Year, runs across the days around them: in 2026 it ran from 7 to 19 April.

The Phra Buddha Sihing procession crosses the city on the afternoon of 13 April. After dark the party moves to Nimman.

Read Songkran in Chiang Mai for the moat, the procession and the parties, or spend the week in Songkran in a pool villa.

What other festivals does Chiang Mai have?

Chiang Mai also has festivals outside the high season. Two to know:

• Inthakin City Pillar Festival: the city's festival for its guardian pillar at Wat Chedi Luang, in May or June. In 2026 it ran from 13 to 19 May.
• Lanna Local Food Festival: northern food at the Tha Phae Gate courtyard, in September. In 2026 it ran from 11 to 13 September.

How do you get to Chiang Mai for a festival?

Fly in: Bangkok to Chiang Mai is a flight of just over an hour, with daily flights. The overnight sleeper train is the slow way; check the State Railway timetable before you book.

Landing in Bangkok first? Book airport fast track at Suvarnabhumi or Don Mueang, ฿2,400 a person: a greeter meets you at the gate and walks you through the fast immigration lane.

Read Bangkok to Chiang Mai for every way up.

How do you plan a Chiang Mai festival trip?

Plan a Chiang Mai festival trip around the festival nights, with your own driver for the hills and a villa to come back to. Tanner sets it up to your dates.

• Getting around: a luxury van with a driver from ฿6,500 for 10 hours, for up to 4. The hill festivals in Chiang Dao, Hang Dong and Mae On are a drive from the city.
• Your base: a private pool villa from ฿18,500 a day.
• After the festival: a club table, priced to your trip and quoted the same day.

Book in this order: flights and the villa for Yi Peng first (23 to 25 November 2026), then your hill festival weekend. Tanner matches the cars to the plan.

Plan it with Tanner, or see every festival trip in Thailand.

What are Chiang Mai festivals in short?

• Yi Peng, 23 to 25 November 2026, is Chiang Mai's biggest festival.

• Bo Sang (15 to 17 January 2027) and the Flower Festival (expected early February) are the big daytime fairs.
• Songkran, 13 to 15 April 2027, circles the Old City moat.

Loy Krathong night, Tuesday 24 November 2026, falls in the middle of Yi Peng: read Loy Krathong 2026 and khom loi sky lanterns.

Plan it with Tanner.