Chiang Mai
celebrates many festivals, most of which are also celebrated in
other parts of Thailand, but probably with less fervor. Among
them are the Flower Carnival (on the first Friday, Saturday
and Sunday of February), Songkran (April 13-15) and Yee
Peng (on the day of the full moon of the twelfth lunar month,
generally mid-November).
The Flower
Carnival celebrates the time when Chiang Mai's temperate and
tropical flowers are in full bloom; it is characterized by colorful
floral floats and parades.
Songkran
is the traditional Thai New Year. Chiang Mai celebrates Songkran
with special elation in a 3-day carousel of religious merit-making,
pilgrimages, beauty parades, dancing and uninhibited good-natured
water throwing.
Yee Peng
is Thailand's loveliest festival when, under the full moon, people
float banana-leaf boats bearing a lighted candle, incense, a flower
and small coin onto rivers, canals, lakes and streams to honor
water spirits and float away the past year's sins.
