Chiang Mai Flower Festival

Chiang Mai Flower Festival (Thai: มหกรรม ไม้ ดอกไม้ ประดับ จังหวัด เชียงใหม่) is an annual event for flower and ornamental plant in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Chiang Mai, known as the "rose of the north", hosts this three-day festival during the first weekend of February, at the end of the cool season. Displays of yellow and white chrysanthemums, and the Damask Rose, a variety found only in Chiang Mai abound. Spectacular parade floats of various tableaux paved in flowers, leaves and seeds are on display for the duration of the event. The focus of this festival is at the public garden of Suan Buak Haad at the southwest corner of the moat. The road next to the moat all around the park is closed to traffic, and vendors of plants, flowers, orchids and garden decorations set up their stalls there.

Suan Buak Hat city park

Buak Hat Park is a pleasant public space, with formal gardens arranged around a series of pools and bridges. There is a children's play area, and places where refreshments are available. For the weekend of the Flower Festival the park is transformed, with colorful displays of flowers, bonsai trees, ferns, calladiums, alocasias, and orchids, all set out for the judges to choose the best of each species. There are also displays by landscape specialists, featuring waterfalls, patios and various schemes of garden decoration. There are stands representing gardens from neighbouring countries, and stands selling local products.

Flower Festival parade

The Flower Festival Parade has typically started early on Saturday morning, sometimes the festival parade runs as an afternoon/evening affair. The flower parade lines up along Charoen Muang Road, all the way from the Nawarat Bridge to the train station. At 16:00 the parade starts and moves up Tha Phae Road to Tha Phae Gate. It then turns left and follows the moat around to Suan Buak Hat. Typically, the flower parade moves very slowly, and stops frequently. Western-style marching bands from local schools and local drumming groups are interspersed among the floats. Dancers in traditional costumes perform Thai dances, and often those taking part in the flower parade hand out flowers to the spectators.

Miss Chiang Mai Flower Festival

Many of the girls atop the gaily decorated floats and carriages are candidates for the Miss Chiang Mai Flower Festival competition. By late afternoon the really serious part of the festival, choosing the Chiang Mai Flower Festival Queen, begins. Loud rock music and liquid refreshments aid the deliberations. The party goes on into the evening until the Flower Festival Queen is chosen.

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.