The rose of the north - by this nickname is known Chiang Mai city throughout Thailand. This is not just an affectionate nickname, the city is known for its stunning flowers, around which the annual flower festival also developed.
Every year at the beginning of February a festival is held in the city with impressive parades, flower competitions and also the festival queen competition. The atmosphere in the city these days is special and the beauty and color of the flowers give the place a stunning look and atmosphere reminiscent of a carnival.
The events last three days, but if you only have one chance to attend the flower festival - do it on the second day of the festivities. Then the traditional flower procession takes place, a show that is both spectacular and heartwarming. The procession includes 25 different stages and the starting point of the procession is at Navrat Bridge. This carnival of flowers starts moving in the morning and travels slowly until it reaches its final destination - the city park.
All the stages are decorated with flowers in what looks like a meticulous work of art. Statues of figures from the local culture decorate the stage and the participants are dressed in traditional clothes. Some of them will dance traditional dances for you and you will also be able to easily recognize the girls participating in the flower festival queen competition. Bands and orchestras add to the carnival atmosphere and flowers are scattered on the participants from all sides.
Competitions as part of the festival
You will have to wait for the competition itself until a later stage of the day, and you shouldn't miss it either. The competition, which includes the same as any beauty pageant, is accompanied by celebrations and parties. More parties and performances are held during the festival and the atmosphere is one of a kind.
During the flower festival, different competitions are also held in the field of flowers, with several different categories. The judges tour the various performances and finally decide on the identity of the winners.
The flowers in the place are not only for display, there are also flower stands with colorful goods that you can purchase. The streets surrounding the park are closed to vehicular traffic and become a lively pedestrian zone, and there you will also find stalls with food, drinks and, of course, souvenirs.
The festival takes place at the beginning of February (dates change every year, check in advance) for 3 days. The festivities every day start at 9 am and continue until the evening hours.
