The route-aware calendar · 40 dates ahead
Follow the festival season.
Build the route around what happens once a year—from candle processions and floating lights to contemporary art, live music and the holidays that change how Thailand moves.
Filter the route ahead
Dates that can change the trip
29 confirmed11 clearly marked TBCRecheck before non-refundable booking
40 dates ahead
July 2026
7
Khon KaenIsan Creative Festival 2026 (Khon Kaen)
11–19 July 2026
TCDC Khon Kaen, Sri Chan Creative District and venues across Khon Kaen
Khon Kaen becomes a nine-day showcase for contemporary Isan design, food, music and creative business, with more than 200 programmes spread across the city. The 2026 theme, Northeast Modern, connects regional craft and identity with new technology and ideas.
Bangkok · BangkokThailand Magic Arts Festival 2026 (Bangkok)
18–19 July 2026
Mr. FOX Live House
A two-day festival of stage magic, close-up performance, talks and workshops brings Thai performers together with guests from Japan, Hong Kong and Taiwan. The programme also includes a young-magician development camp and an exhibition on the history of magic in Thailand.
Chiang RaiPa Kad Chiang Rai 2026
24 July–2 August 2026
Kad Luang Chiang Rai
Chiang Rai's central market becomes a ten-day creative playground with installations, fashion, music, cultural parades and community activities. It is a compact way to see the city's contemporary creative scene alongside its everyday market culture.
Nakhon Si ThammaratRoi Raeng Fest 2026 (Nakhon Si Thammarat)
25–26 July 2026
Bovorn Beach, Tha Sala District
A two-day beach festival at Bovorn Beach celebrates southern Thai craft, food, music and community life. The programme combines a local market with live performance, beach activities, kite displays, fire shows and fireworks.
Across ThailandKing Vajiralongkorn's Birthday & Asarnha Bucha / Khao Phansa 2026
28–30 July 2026
Nationwide
Late July brings King Rama X's birthday on 28 July and Asarnha Bucha on 29 July, both listed as financial-institution holidays, followed by Khao Phansa observances on 30 July. Candle festivals and merit-making mark the start of Buddhist Lent, but closures differ by institution on the final day.
Ubon Ratchathani (Isan)Ubon Ratchathani Candle Festival 2026
28–30 July 2026
Thung Si Mueang, Ubon Ratchathani
To mark Khao Phansa (the start of Buddhist Lent), Ubon Ratchathani parades colossal, intricately carved beeswax candle sculptures through the streets — the grandest of Thailand's candle festivals.
SaraburiTak Bat Dok Mai 2026 (Saraburi)
29–30 July 2026
Wat Phra Phutthabat Ratchaworamahawihan
At Wat Phra Phutthabat, worshippers offer the rare yellow-and-white khao phansa flower to monks as Buddhist Lent begins. The floral offering, candle ceremony and temple processions make this one of central Thailand's most distinctive religious traditions.
August 2026
2Across ThailandQueen Mother Sirikit's Birthday & National Mother's Day
12 August 2026
Nationwide
August 12 is the birthday of HM Queen Mother Sirikit and Thailand's National Mother's Day. Cities are lit blue (her colour), and families honour mothers with jasmine garlands and candle-lit tributes.
Bangkok · BangkokTechsauce Global Summit 2026 (Bangkok)
26–28 August 2026
Queen Sirikit National Convention Center (QSNCC)
Techsauce Global Summit brings founders, investors, corporate teams and international speakers to Queen Sirikit National Convention Center for three days focused on startups, AI, finance and Southeast Asia's technology economy.
September 2026
1October 2026
8
Bangkok · SamphanthawongBangkok Vegetarian Festival 2026 (Yaowarat)
Expected 10–18 October from the Chinese lunar calendar; confirm Yaowarat's street programme when Bangkok publishes it.
Yaowarat Road and Chinatown shrines
The nine-day Jay festival fills Bangkok's Chinatown with yellow-flagged meat-free food, shrine visits and Chinese-Thai merit-making. The lunar dates align with Phuket's festival, but Yaowarat's detailed 2026 street programme has not yet been announced.
NanNan Mountain Trail 2026
10–11 October 2026
Nan Province mountain-trail course
A two-day trail-running event sends runners into Nan's steep, green mountain country. Multiple race distances make it a serious sporting weekend as well as a reason for active travellers to spend time in one of northern Thailand's quieter provinces.
PhuketPhuket Vegetarian Festival 2026
Nine days from the 1st of the 9th Chinese lunar month — ~mid-October 2026; sources vary, confirm with local shrines/TAT Phuket closer to the date.
Phuket Town shrines & streets
Phuket's intense nine-day Taoist festival (Tesagan Gin Je) sees devotees observe a strict vegan diet and perform extraordinary acts of self-mortification — body piercing and fire-walking — amid smoke, firecrackers and shrine processions.
Across ThailandKing Bhumibol Memorial Day 2026
13 October 2026
Nationwide
Thailand marks 13 October with a public holiday commemorating King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who died in 2016 after a seventy-year reign. Ceremonies are solemn and government offices and financial institutions close.
Bangkok · Khlong ToeiBook Expo Thailand 2026 (Bangkok)
23 October–1 November 2026
Queen Sirikit National Convention Center
The 31st national Book Expo fills Queen Sirikit National Convention Center with Thai publishers, bookstores, new releases and literary programming for ten days. Much of the stock is Thai-language, but the scale and central MRT access make it worthwhile for book and design enthusiasts.
Across ThailandChulalongkorn Day 2026
23 October 2026
Nationwide
The 23 October public holiday honours King Chulalongkorn, Rama V, whose reign brought major administrative, educational and legal reforms. Wreath-laying ceremonies take place at royal monuments, including the equestrian statue in Bangkok.
Nong Khai (Isan)Naga Fireball Festival 2026 (Nong Khai)
Full moon of the 11th lunar month (Wan Ok Phansa) — falls late Oct 2026; confirm the official date with TAT Nong Khai closer to the time.
Mekong riverbank, Phon Phisai, Nong Khai
Each year on the full moon of Wan Ok Phansa (end of Buddhist Lent), mysterious reddish fireballs are seen rising silently from the Mekong River near Nong Khai — a phenomenon science still can't fully explain, drawing huge riverside crowds.
Bangkok · Bangkok citywideBangkok Art Biennale 2026–27
29 October 2026–28 February 2027
Temples, museums and cultural venues across Bangkok
The fifth Bangkok Art Biennale places contemporary work across temples, museums and civic venues under the theme Angels & Mara. Its four-month run lets visitors build an art route through the city rather than squeeze the programme into one weekend.
November 2026
7Udon ThaniUdon Thani International Horticultural Expo 2026–27
1 November 2026–14 March 2027
Nong Daet Wetland
A four-and-a-half-month international horticultural expo transforms Nong Daet Wetland with national gardens, greenhouses, plant competitions and agricultural innovation. Its scale makes it a trip-planning anchor for Udon Thani rather than a quick city event.
Bangkok · Pom Prap Sattru PhaiGolden Mount Temple Fair 2026 (Bangkok)
Expected for roughly ten days around Loy Krathong in mid-to-late November; confirm the exact Wat Saket programme.
Wat Saket (Golden Mount)
Wat Saket's annual temple fair brings candlelit processions, food stalls, traditional games and the wrapping of the Golden Mount chedi in red cloth. The event normally runs for roughly ten days around the Loy Krathong period, but the exact 2026 programme is still pending.
SukhothaiSukhothai Loy Krathong Festival 2026
15–24 November 2026
Sukhothai Historical Park
Sukhothai Historical Park stages ten nights of candlelight, performance and the ticketed Light and Sound show around the ruins. This is the most concrete 2026 Loy Krathong programme currently announced and a strong reason to route through Sukhothai in November.
Across ThailandLoy Krathong & Yi Peng (Lantern Festivals) 2026
National and Chiang Mai programmes are still being announced; Sukhothai's confirmed show runs 15–24 November. Recheck the exact local celebration you plan to attend.
Nationwide (Chiang Mai for Yi Peng)
On the full moon of the 12th lunar month, Thais float decorated krathong baskets on rivers and lakes to honour the water goddess and let go of misfortune. In Chiang Mai it coincides with Yi Peng, when thousands of glowing sky lanterns rise into the night.
PattayaPattaya International Fireworks Festival 2026
27–28 November 2026
Pattaya Beach
Two nights of choreographed international fireworks turn Pattaya's beachfront into a vast open-air viewing ground, with music and food along the shore. It is free to watch but creates some of the city's heaviest traffic and hotel demand of the year.
Bangkok · BangkokAmazing Thailand Marathon Bangkok 2026
28–29 November 2026
MBK Center and Sanam Luang
Thailand's largest road-race weekend returns for its ninth edition, with the half marathon running from MBK Center to Sanam Luang on Saturday and the marathon, 10K and family run starting and finishing at Sanam Luang on Sunday.
Lopburi (Central)Lopburi Monkey Buffet Festival 2026
Expected on the last Sunday of November; confirm the 2026 programme with Lopburi authorities before planning a day trip.
Phra Prang Sam Yot, Lopburi
Lopburi's annual monkey banquet places decorated displays of fruit and vegetables near Phra Prang Sam Yot for the city's macaques. The spectacle is widely associated with the last Sunday of November, but the 2026 organiser programme has not yet been published.
December 2026
8Pattaya / ChonburiWonderfruit Festival 2026
3–7 December 2026
The Fields at Siam Country Club, Chonburi
Thailand's flagship arts, music and sustainability festival returns to The Fields near Pattaya for four days of live music, immersive art, wellness and farm-to-table food, with a strong environmental and design ethos.
Across ThailandKing Bhumibol's Birthday & National Father's Day
5 December 2026
Nationwide
December 5 is the birthday of the late King Bhumibol (Rama IX), Thailand's National Day and Father's Day. The nation is decked in yellow, with candle ceremonies and merit-making in his honour.
PhuketPhuket King's Cup Regatta 2026
5–12 December 2026
Kata Beach and race areas off Phuket
The 38th Phuket King's Cup brings a week of keelboat and dinghy racing to the island, with competition visible from the southwest coast and an international sailing community on shore. The 2026 edition is officially scheduled for 5–12 December.
Across ThailandConstitution Day in Thailand
10 December 2026
Nationwide
December 10 commemorates Thailand's adoption of its first constitution in 1932, ending absolute monarchy. It is a national public holiday with ceremonies at the Democracy Monument in Bangkok.
PattayaTomorrowland Thailand 2026
11–13 December 2026
Wisdom Valley
Tomorrowland brings its first full-scale Asian edition to Wisdom Valley near Pattaya for three days, with six stages and the festival's international electronic-music production. It is a destination event with major demand for transport and accommodation.
AyutthayaAyutthaya World Heritage Fair 2026
Held mid-December (typically ~Dec 13–22); confirm exact 2026 dates with TAT Ayutthaya.
Ayutthaya Historical Park
Each December the former royal capital celebrates its UNESCO World Heritage status with sound-and-light shows projected onto the ancient temple ruins, classical dance, historical processions and a food fair.
PhuketEDC Thailand 2026 (Phuket)
18–20 December 2026
Rhythm Park
Electric Daisy Carnival returns to Phuket for three nights at Rhythm Park, with six stages, major international DJs, carnival rides and large-scale visual production. The December dates are confirmed by the organiser and fall one week after Tomorrowland Thailand.
Across ThailandNew Year in Thailand (Pi Mai Sakon)
31 December 2026–1 January 2027
Nationwide
New Year's Eve and New Year's Day are public holidays across Thailand, with huge countdown parties in Bangkok, on the islands and at the beach resorts. Temple merit-making at dawn on Jan 1 balances the night-before festivities.
January 2027
3PhuketThailand International Boat Show 2027 (Phuket)
14–17 January 2027
Phuket Yacht Haven Marina
Phuket Yacht Haven hosts four days of yachts, marine equipment and waterfront events for the Thailand International Boat Show. It is primarily an industry and luxury-lifestyle show, but the marina setting and confirmed January dates make it useful for sailing-focused visitors.
Chiang MaiBo Sang Umbrella Festival 2027 (Chiang Mai)
Third weekend of January (Fri–Sun); 2027 dates not yet officially confirmed (2026 ran 16–18 Jan). Verify with TAT Chiang Mai.
Bo Sang village, San Kamphaeng
Held each January in the umbrella-making village of Bo Sang east of Chiang Mai, this colourful Lanna craft festival lines the streets with hundreds of hand-painted paper umbrellas, plus a Miss Bo Sang pageant, craft demonstrations and a parade of performers in traditional dress.
Bangkok · Bangkok citywideBangkok Design Week 2027
29 January–8 February 2027
Creative districts and venues across Bangkok
Bangkok Design Week returns across creative districts with exhibitions, installations, talks, markets and open studios. The officially announced 2027 edition runs from 29 January to 8 February, making it an unusually dependable long-range date for a Bangkok trip.
February 2027
3Chiang MaiChiang Mai Flower Festival 2027
Usually held over a three-day February weekend; the 2027 dates and parade route are not yet official.
Nong Buak Haad Public Park and the old-city parade route
Chiang Mai's annual flower festival fills Nong Buak Haad Park with displays and competitions, while elaborate floats parade through the old-city area. The 2027 edition has not yet been announced, so the first-February-weekend placeholder must be rechecked before booking.
Bangkok · SamphanthawongChinese New Year in Bangkok 2027
Lunar New Year's Day is 6 February 2027; confirm Bangkok's Yaowarat programme and closure dates when TAT and the city announce them.
Yaowarat Road and Chinatown shrines
Lunar New Year turns Yaowarat into Bangkok's focal point for lanterns, shrine offerings, food and lion and dragon dances. Lunar New Year's Day is 6 February 2027, but Bangkok's event programme and road closures have not yet been announced.
Across ThailandMakha Bucha Day in Thailand
Full moon of the 3rd lunar month — falls ~late Feb/early March; confirm the official 2027 date (2026 was Mar 3).
Nationwide
Makha Bucha is one of Thailand's holiest Buddhist days, marking the spontaneous gathering of 1,250 monks to hear the Buddha preach. Thais make merit and join candle-lit wian tian processions around temples after dark. A nationwide alcohol-sales ban applies.
April 2027
1
Go deeper than the date