Chinese New Year
Chinese New Year is a time of firecrackers, a time when lion dancers parade through the streets and time when Thai households ‘spring-clean’ is celebrated in February by all Chinese-Thais. Lanterns line the streets and the smell of incense wafts through the air. Dragon parades weave down roads and children gad about everywhere.
Songkran
The most frenetic festival in the country is that of Songkran, the Luna New Year. Held from the 13th to 15th April each year…it’s a wet one! Traditionally it was celebrated by Buddha images being bathed with water and the showing of respect to monks and elders. From the sprinkling of water onto someone’s hands as a sign of respect it has evolved into mass drenching for anyone who decides to venture outdoors. This has to be one of the friendliest, though wet, festivals anywhere and a great way to make new friends.
Buddha’s Birthday
   
The 15th May is Buddha’s Birthday. Local Wats (Buddhist Temples) celebrate by holding candlelit processions. A tourist may take part in these parades and it can prove great fun.

Seafood Festival
   
Seafood Festival Usually held in May, this festival is designed to publicise the delicious seafood available in Phuket and attracts visitors during the rainy season. Activities include a Marine tourism Resources Parade, seafood stalls, demonstrations of regional cuisines, and cultural shows.

Asanha Puja
July, sees Thai Buddhists celebrating Buddhist ‘lent’ or Asanha Puja, the full moon festival. Beginning mid to late in the month, this is the period when young men enter their monk hood for the rainy season and ordained monks remain in a single monastery for three months. One can view Buddhist temples throughout the year, but this tradition can be picturesque due to the activity of the saffron robed followers.
Vegetarian Festival
   
  The Vegetarian Festival held in early October is celebrated in Phuket and Trang only. For this almost weeklong celebration, Chinese Buddhists eat only vegetarian food.
There are numerous ceremonies and processions, which are both interesting and colourful. The food sold in street stalls at this time is well worth sampling. Self-mortification is practiced during these celebrations and the participants’ parade through the streets with bicycle wheels, spears and the like, pierced through their skin.

Loi Krathong
   
One of the most beautiful and moving sights are the festivities relating to the annual festival of Loi Krathong held in November. This is when you cast away your troubles and call in the hopes of the future.
As the moon rises in the evening a small lotus-shaped raft of banana leaves filled with flowers, a candle, a snip of your nail, a piece of your hair and a few coins, is set afloat in the ocean or down a waterway conjuring up good luck for the forthcoming year. In some areas large paper hot-air balloons are also released.

 King’s birthday
   December 5 is the King’s birthday. The King is much revered throughout Thailand, something that is probably unique in the world today. All Thais celebrate his birthday and government buildings, private homes, businesses and the palace are all illuminated specially for the occasion. In Phuket, they hold a regatta in his honour.

Chiang Mai celebrates nearly all the Thai festivals and it also has a few of its own to add to the list. These are as follows:
Bo Sang Umbrella Fair & San Kamphaeng Handicrafts Festival
   
   Almost everyone in the small village of Bo Sang, near Chiang Mai derives a livelihood from making gaily painted paper umbrellas. This fair, held on the main street celebrates their traditional skill and features contests, exhibitions, stalls selling umbrellas and other handicrafts, and procession decorated by umbrellas and cycling ladies with umbrellas.

Woodcarving Fair Held in January over four days including the weekend closest to the end of the month, this is another activity that will interest travellers to the area is this fair where items can be bought, demonstrations take place and one can view the craftsmen's exquisite work.
 
The Flower Carnival

  (on the first Friday, Saturday and Sunday of February) celebrates Chiang Mai’s the blooming of its temperate and tropical flowers. Characterized by colourful floral floats and parades it is a kaleidoscope of colour.

Intakin Festival

Held at the Chedi Luang Temple,it lasts a week and is used to ask for peace and for rain to fall during the right seasons.The temple holds the city piller which traditionally marks the center of a town.

Rose Festival

In honour of His Majesty the King of Thailand's birthday on the 5th December, Chiang Mai celebrates by having beautiful displays of roses. Check it out at Suan Buak Hat / Thapae Gate. The festivities are held on the weekend closest to the king's birthday.

Chiang Mai Food Festival

is held in the month of December. Here you will find taste sensations that will both excite and thrill you, after all Thailand is renowned for its excellent cuisine.chiang mai