Chiang Mai Flower Festival, February 6, 7 and 8 2015

Chiang Mai Flower Festival
Date: February 6, 7 and 8, 2015

Location: Suan Buak Had Park, Tha Pae Gate Plaza, and Nawarat Bridge, Chiang Mai

Every year on the first weekend of February, the Chiang Mai Flower Festival takes place featuring a parade, flower exhibition and the Miss Chiang Mai Flower Festival competition.

The hills and valleys of Chiang Mai are ideal natural habitats for a vast variety of tropical as well as temperate flowers. Most bloom early in the year from January to February. This is the best time to enjoy the spectacular floral tapestry that blankets the land with colourful flowers such as the African marigold, Globe Amaranth, orchids, Ban Chun, chrysanthemum, Celosia, and assorted roses such as the Fa Mui and thin Uang Dok Lek.

Chiang Mai takes great pride in having maintained its tradition of hosting the annual Chiang Mai Flower Festival for the past 38 years.The ancient Lanna Thai kingdom тАФ тАШland of a million rice fieldsтАЩ тАФ was also famous for its tradition of artistic excellence. The northern province of Chiang Mai has since been known as the тАШhomeтАЩ of the legendary Lanna Thai artisans. Long recognized for their exquisite craftsmanship, the northern region is also noted for its elaborate traditional floral art installations. The annual Chiang Mai Flower Festival features an impressive showcase of traditional and contemporary floral art and Lanna cultural splendour.

The festival also supports the provinceтАЩs horticultural industry which has steadily grown in importance as one of ThailandтАЩs major exporters of fresh cut flowers, ornamental plants, and a range of other horticultural products. A total of 222 varieties of flowering and ornamental plants will be on display during the three-day event.

Activities:

Day 1, Friday, February 6, 2015

09:00- 24:00 There will be an agricultural exhibition and fair, the contest and exhibition of flower arrangement, decorative plants, and mini garden landscaping, local products fair, and music shows at Nong Buak Haad Park and Thapae Gate.

17:00 Opening ceremony of the 39th Flower Festival at Nong Buak Haad Park

19:00 - 23:00 Miss Flower & Miss International Flower Blooming Beauty Contests at Nong Buak Haad Park



Day 2: Saturday, February 7, 2015

09:00- 24:00 There will be an agricultural exhibition and fair, the contest and exhibition of flower arrangement, decorative plants, and mini garden landscaping, local products fair, and music shows at Nong Buak Haad Park and Thapae Gate.

16:00 A parade of more than 25 fabulous flower floats starts from Nawarat bridge. The parade will go through Thapae road, Kotchasarn road, Changlor road, Arak road and ends at Nong Buak Haad Park.



Day 3: Sunday, February 8, 2015

09:00- 24:00 There will be an agricultural exhibition and fair, the contest and exhibition of flower arrangement, decorative plants, and mini garden landscaping, local products fair, and music shows at Nong Buak Haad Park and Thapae Gate.

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I've just returned from a weekend visit to Chiang Mai. I always enjoy relaxing in Buak Haad park (south-west corner of the old city) for an hour or two on every visit. A kind of mini-Lumpini. On this occasion it was looking the best I've ever seen it, perhaps in readiness for the Flower Festival. Beautifully maintained lawns, glittering ponds, colourful sweeps of newly-planted annuals. Lots of Thais, especially young lovers, strolling, picnicking, generally taking it easy. Quite a few farangs too, including some impromptu energetic young tightrope-walkers horsing about some three feet from the ground. While I was sitting quietly in a sala which juts out into a pond, absorbing the mellow scene, a sixtyish farang couple approached and sat down at the next bench. Cranky-looking. He was bearded, fierce-eyed, had a huge red turban, a yellow tee-shirt bearing a representation of the cosmic mandala, and black tracksuit bottoms; she was wearing the flimsy blouse and pantaloon ensemble which is almost de rigueur among farang women in Chiang Mai, but not in her case in such a way as to suggest inner peace. A strong whiff of incense wafted in my direction; it must have been impregnated in their clothes because they weren't holding any sticks of it. They sat quietly for a while, then muttered to each other in low voices. I was straining to overhear them, curious, half-expecting something New Agey. Suddenly, the beturbaned man said in a much louder voice, 'I told 'im if he wants me to wear that shit he can go fuck 'imself', at which point he stood up and walked dramatically away. The woman stared pensively over the pond for a few seconds, with the air of one long accustomed to such outbursts, and then heaved herself up and followed wearily. I had to smile. Chiang Mai! Ever predictably unpredictable.

Thanks for the info. We have booked a visit for the festival.

The full schedule from TAT can be downloaded from our article here: Chiang Mai Flower Festival 2558

One point to note is the TAT schedule gives the timing for the parade as 8 a.m. compared with 4 p.m. in Surfcrest's posts. TIT so I don't pretend to know which is right 8-| , but the issue has caused problems in the past with people missing the parade! If you want to go probably best to double check at the event the day before......

I can't resist a quick anecdote about the Buak Haad park with a good story a friend tells from quite a few years back.

He was sitting in the park on Christmas day enjoying the surroundings during a pre-lunch stroll. A monk accompanied by a young guy (Hill tribe IIRC) approached him and struck up a conversation. It wasn't long before the monk came out with his real purpose which was pimping the boy. I'll leave the story hanging there as I know you guys have vivid imaginations :D . Amazing Chiang Mai - never a dull moment which is why I like living here.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by BonTong

during a pre-lunch stroll.

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Pre-lunch, huh? A bit like walking in front of massage parlors in pattaya. Do monks have sex with boys like monks and samurai did in ancient Japan?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by QueueDeCastor

Quote:

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Originally Posted by BonTong

during a pre-lunch stroll.

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Pre-lunch, huh? A bit like walking in front of massage parlors in pattaya. Do monks have sex with boys like monks and samurai did in ancient Japan?

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or like they seem to be doing in convents, orphanages and churches in the west?