Chiang Mai Flower Festival

Three Dreamlike Days of Blossoms and Lanna Heritage

2026/02/05 - 2026/02/07

On the first weekend of every February, Chiang Mai truly lives up to its nickname “The Rose of the North,” as the city is enveloped in a riot of colors and sweet floral scents. For three days, the Chiang Mai Flower Festival sees over a million orchids, damask roses, chrysanthemums, and tropical blooms transform Nong Buak Haad Public Park and the parade routes into a vibrant tapestry. It’s a dazzling event for flower lovers, photography enthusiasts, and families or travelers eager to experience the traditional culture of Northern Thailand.^{[1][2][4][5][7][9][10]}

Centered at Nong Buak Haad Park, the festival’s wave of blossoms and people spreads through the old city streets, following a roughly 5km parade route from Nawarat Bridge to Tha Phae Gate. Flower-adorned floats parade through the city, while dancers in traditional costumes and Lanna silk (Lanna refers not to “runners,” but to the historic Lanna Kingdom that flourished in Northern Thailand with Chiang Mai as its capital) perform. At night, illuminated floats and park light displays create a magical atmosphere. Around the venues, you’ll find bustling food stalls, craft markets, and music and dance stages-a multisensory community celebration that marks the end of winter and the arrival of spring in Chiang Mai.^{[1][2][5][6][7][9][10]}

Main Attractions

Grand and Gorgeous: The Flower Parade

The festival’s highlight is the Saturday morning Grand Parade, featuring over 25 flower-covered floats. Local artisans and gardeners craft each float into a work of art using thousands of orchids, roses, and chrysanthemums. The parade starts at Nawarat Bridge and winds through the city, joined by beauty queens in traditional dress, marching bands, and Lanna dance troupes. The streets are filled with music, laughter, and the scent of petals, with crowds snapping photos at every turn.^{[1][2][5][6][7][9][10]}

The Floral Wonderland of Nong Buak Haad Park

During the festival, the park is transformed into a floral paradise with over 100 species and more than a million blooms. Themed gardens-tulips, orchids, damask roses-sit alongside floral sculptures and landscape displays. At night, the park glows with illuminated gardens, laser tunnels, and glow-in-the-dark body painting. The sweet scent of flowers mingles with the aroma of street food, creating a dreamlike space day and night. Nong Buak Haad Park is open from 9am until midnight during the festival, with the nighttime illuminations being especially enchanting.^{[2][5][7][8][10]}

Miss Chiang Mai Flower Festival Pageant

The festival’s most glamorous event is the Miss Chiang Mai Flower Festival contest. Contestants in stunning Thai costumes parade atop the floats and later compete on the park’s main stage, introducing themselves, performing traditional arts, and answering questions. The winner is crowned Flower Festival Queen, earning local pride and admiration.^{[1][2][4][5][7][8]}

Cultural Performances and Night Markets

Throughout the festival, stages in the park and along the parade route feature Lanna music, folk dances, and performances by hill tribe groups. As dusk falls, night markets and food stalls come alive. Kad Mua (a Lanna-style market) offers handicrafts, OTOP (local specialty) products, khao soi (curry noodles), grilled sausages, mango sticky rice, and eggs roasted in banana leaves-delicacies unique to Northern Thailand. The aroma of charcoal, coconut, and spices drifts on the night breeze, making for a feast of food, shopping, and culture.^{[2][5][7][10]}

Cultural and Historical Background

The Chiang Mai Flower Festival began in the late 1960s to early 1970s to showcase the region’s rich horticultural culture and boost tourism during the cool, dry season when flowers are at their peak. Chiang Mai, known as “The Rose of the North,” is set in a fertile valley surrounded by mountains, making it a major center for orchids, damask roses, chrysanthemums, and other flowers unique to Northern Thailand. The festival’s timing coincides with the transition from winter to spring, when the city is at its most fragrant and colorful.^{[1][2][5][7][8][9]}

Initially focused on flower exhibitions by local farmers and gardeners, the festival has grown over the past half-century into one of Thailand’s largest floral events. Each first weekend of February, Nong Buak Haad Park and the old city streets are adorned with over a million flowers, and the parade features more than 25 floats, dancers in traditional Lanna costumes (Lanna refers to the historic kingdom of Northern Thailand, not “runners”), marching bands, and Miss Chiang Mai Flower Festival contestants.^{[1][2][4][5][7][8][9][10]}

During the festival, visitors can enjoy floral sculptures, themed gardens, glow-in-the-dark body painting, and laser tunnels, with activities both day and night. The park and surrounding venues also host local crafts, OTOP products, Lanna textiles, and hill tribe handicrafts. The festival is more than a flower show-it’s a celebration of Lanna culture, hill tribe traditions, local farmers’ and artisans’ pride, and community spirit. Through parades, contests, music, and dance, Chiang Mai’s unique blend of Thai, Lanna, and hill tribe cultures shines.^{[2][5][7][8][9][10]}

The festival also plays a vital role in promoting tourism and boosting the local economy, bringing pride to farmers, gardeners, artisans, and residents alike. Marking the arrival of spring, abundance, and community bonds, the Chiang Mai Flower Festival is a living cultural heritage, passed down through generations and a symbol of Chiang Mai’s identity.^{[2][5][7][8][9][10]}

Participant Voices

I’d seen photos, but the flood of colors and scents at the real parade was overwhelming. Every float was covered in real flowers, not a single plastic petal. The most memorable sight was children in ethnic costumes dancing beside a golden elephant-shaped float. It felt like stepping into a fairy tale.

Fun Facts

The festival uses over a million flowers and more than 100 species, including rare orchids and damask roses unique to Northern Thailand.^{[1][2][5][7][8][9][10]}
“Rose of the North” is a nickname that symbolizes Chiang Mai’s floral culture as a whole, not just actual roses.^[8][9]

Festival Dates

The Chiang Mai Flower Festival is held every year on the first weekend of February. The main venues are Nong Buak Haad Public Park and the parade routes through the old city.^{[1][2][4][5][6][7][8][9][10]}