Chiang Mai Flower Festival Parade 2025

It was early in the morning, when I arrived at the spot, where the parade was going to start. The light was perfect for photos. The sun wasn’t yet so strong and it was shyly peeking through the clouds. I snapped a couple of pictures of the stunning beauty queen sitting on her throne among bouquets of flowers. Her float was pulled by amazingly decorated tractor. The energy was electric, like everyone was waiting for something to happen. It was the start of the Chiang Mai Flower Festival and I was there to witness this amazing event.

Chiang Mai Flower Festival takes place every year in February. It’s a weekend filled with colours and smells. It starts with an opening ceremony at night in the city’s park, where amazing installations are on display. Then, the next morning is the parade. This is something you can’t really witness anywhere in Thailand. The parade is huge, goes on for 2 hours and is filled with people and children dressed up in the most exquisite costumes. Chiang Mai Flower Festival is not only about flowers. It’s a celebration of the City, in which people from all walks of life take part.

Today I’m taking you to this festival. We will have a look at the park, at the night market and, especially, at the parade. After reading this article you will want to take part in this, too. I’m sure of it. Luckily, in this post I will tell you all you need to know to witness the Chiang Mai Flower Festival the following year.

This is an updated guide. I have been to the festival twice already. The first time it was 10 years ago. Since then I have been trying to attend it and finally, I did in 2025. Below information is from that year and I will be updating it every year.

The Chiang Mai Flower Festival in 2026 will take place between 8th and 6th of February.

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What is the Chiang Mai Flower Festival?

The first Chiang Mai Flower Festival took place in the 1970s. It was a very small event back then, mostly focusing on selling flowers and local produce. Since then, it grew to a huge, weekend event, which attracts many visitors. It has a big support from the government as it’s seen as the promotion of Thai lifestyle, values and tourism.

When you really pay attention to the festival, you will see that it’s not only about fun and games. It really shows local groups that the regions consists of. There are representations of tribes, villages, different minorities, schools as well as Thai craftsmanship. As Thai people love flowers and love arranging them, it’s an opportunity for them to show off their skills.

Chiang Mai is also known as the Rose of the North. Due to its cool climate, it is the best location to grow delicate flowers. Some that require very careful care, like orchids, grow here wildly on trees. One of the attraction in the region is the Queen Sirikit Botanical Gardens, which will give you the idea of how important flowers are to the local people. No wonder then that this festival is such a significant event in the Chiang Mai’s calendar.

The Chiang Mai Flower Festival is something that represents the region and introduces it to tourists.

Chiang Mai Flower Festival – Dates and schedule

Every year the festival takes place over the weekend in February. In 2026 it’s planned to start on the 6th and finish on the 8th. Usually, the celebrations start on Friday evening with a small market and beautiful flower exhibits in the Buak Had Park. Then, on Saturday at 9am there is a parade, which ends around 10:30-11:00. Throughout the day, there is a market and some shows at the Tha Phae Gate. On Sunday you can still see the floats in the park.

The best time to visit the festival is on Friday evening. Go to the park first, walk around, check out the exhibitions and find some lovely plants at the stalls. The parade is really worth checking out. I encourage you to get up early in the morning and get there before 8am. In the evening, go to the park again, where you will be able to check out the floats and take pictures of them.

Highlights of the festival

The parade

I was rushing a bit that morning because I wanted to be on the Narwarat Bridge before the parade sets off. 10 years ago, when the event took place in the afternoon, I had managed to arrive an hour before the start and taken some amazing photos. This time I was late and I was already stressed. My goal was to photograph the beautiful participants without crowds. Sadly, I arrived too late and could only take pictures of the last part. In cases like that, I never give up, so I started walking down the Tha Phae Road towards the Tha Phae Gate. I squeezed through the initial crowded spot, which is usually by the bridge and from there it was very easy. I caught up with the beginning of the parade, found a good spot to photograph and the rest of the event I stood in one place and snapped photos.

Thai people know how to throw a party. In 2025 the parade was amazing. The costumes, the make up, the floats – all of that was absolutely stunning! The good thing was that the whole procession walked very slowly and stopped from time to time. I am not sure if this was done on purpose, but it gave me a lot of opportunities to photograph everyone.

At around 10:30, when it started to be very hot, the parade finished. I didn’t follow it all the way to the Gate as there were so many people that it was a bit too tiring to squeeze through everyone.

My advice: You can try and do what I did – Head to the Nawarat Bridge at around 7:30 or even 7:00. Everyone gets ready there. You can walk around and take photos, but remember to be respectful and don’t push through. At around 9:00, walk down Tha Phae Road and stop somewhere in the middle. There are not that many people along that part because everyone goes to the Tha Phae Gate.

If you don’t want to get up so early, don’t worry. You can go to Tha Phae Gate and then go to Tha Phae Road, walk up and find a good point to stand. I really discourage going to the gate because literally everyone goes there and it’s very crowded.

The Night Market and displays

The day before the parade, I met a friend of mine. We ate at Chiang Mai Gate Market – one of the best markets in Chiang Mai for food. Then, we grabbed a snack and walked slowly along the moat to the Buak Had Park. The night was pretty cool and it was a rather pleasant walk, even with a lot of people passing us on the narrow pavement.

We got to the market first. In the tents the local people displayed an amazing array of plants and flowers. If this is your thing, you will be in paradise. There was literally everything what a flower-loving person might want – orchids, chrysanthemums, cacti. The number of stalls seemed endless and it took both sides of the street. As with markets in Thailand, here you could also find food. There was a special section for that, selling quick Thai fast food.

I was very impressed by the park. At night it was turned into a wonderland. Buad Had is not a big place. During the day, outside of the festival, you can walk around it in 10 minutes. This time, however, it seemed that it was at least twice the size. The decorations, the installations made out of real flowers were a true proof of Thai skills. They can really turn nothing into something spectacular. There were little gardens filled with orchids, huge swans floating on a pond made with roses, a pink koala bear standing in the middle that seemed to be made out of some tiny little flowers. There was a make-up corner, a disco corner and a huge stage set up for beauty pageants and talent shows. I think it must have been one of the prettiest things I have seen in Thailand.

My advice to you: Visit the park before and after the parade. On the opening night, on Friday, you can walk around the park and admire the installations. It is a bit crowded, but there are spots where you can easily take photos. Don’t miss the stalls, if you love flowers. On Saturday night go to the park again and check out the floats from the parade.

Floral displays around the city

In 2025 I didn’t pay much attention to the floral displays. I think over the years I got used to it a bit and don’t notice them that much. But, if you’re after some pretty pictures or you just love flowers, head to the moat and walk around it. You will see colourful flowers everywhere. Usually, there is also a nice display at the North Gate. It’s worth checking it out, too.

The best photo spots during the festival

I’m very active on Instagram, so of course I wanted to take some good pictures. There are a lot of them around the city during the Chiang Mai Flower Festival. Before the festival starts, go to the moat and to the North Gate. Usually you will find some nice decorations 2-3 days before the event.

At night you will be able to take good photos in the Buak Had Park. It’s nicely lit and not too dark. However, there are a lot of people around. To avoid the biggest crowds, for best shots, go there around 5 and stay until 6-7 to experience the best light.

The parade can be easily photographed if you don’t stand at the Tha Phae Gate. Tha Phae Road, the part outside of the moat, is the best for pictures and of course, the area around the Nawarat Bridge in the morning is good, too.

Tips for visiting

The best time to arrive in Chiang Mai would be 2-3 days before the festival. Check the dates first. From mid Feb until May the city experiences bad air quality. In 2025 the festival was in the middle of February. The air was still OK, but you could see the smoke in the air. In some years the festival is held a bit earlier and then it’s really nice to see. I would recommend being cautious with the time your’e coming here, especially if you’re suffering from lung diseases.

If you go to see the parade, wear light clothing and use SPF. It gets hot after 10:30. Comfortable shoes are a must here. You will be standing and walking a lot. I saw some people with their own portable chairs, which I thought it was a good idea. Buy some water before. There are some shops opened along the way, but it’s best to have some water with you.

It’s worth mentioning that the traffic during the festival is heavy in the city centre. The road at the park is closed and cars and motorbikes are usually redirected through small streets. If you need to go to the airport on that day and you must pass by the park, leave earlier. The Tha Phae Road and the area around Tha Phae Gate are also closed during the parade. It’s only possible to get there if you leave your car or your motorbike in one of the side streets. Again, if you’re not attending the event and need to get somewhere on time, set off much earlier than necessary.

Where to stay in Chiang Mai during the Flower Festival?

I have a whole posts with recommendations on where to stay i Chiang Mai, but I think during the festival it might be slightly different. Here are some places worth checking out.

If you want to be close to the main event

Stay in the Old City, somewhere near the Tha Phae Gate. You can also check out the places around Tha Phae Road. Mind you that this is the most expensive area. If you stay by the main roads, it will be noisy and busy. So, if you like quiet atmosphere, rent something in the side streets.

My recommendations here are:

• Sathu Hotel – from 50 Euros per night
• Mantra Hotel – from 75 Euros per night
• THEE Kashatharn by TH District – from 100 Euros per night

If you want to be further from everything

Don’t want to be in the centre of everything? No problem! Find a place near Nimmenhaemida Road, Suthep Road or in Santhitam. These are further from the City, but have everything you need to have a good time. You can easily get to the centre by motorbike, car or Grab Taxi.

My recommendations are:

• Yantarasri Resort – from 50 Euros per night
• Baan Kong Rao – from 40 Euros per night
• Verbena ChiangMai – from 100 Euros per night

You don’t like my recommendations? Find out more on Booking.com.

How to get to Chiang Mai during the Chiang Mai Flower Festival?

Getting to Chiang Mai is fairly easy. There are a lot of connections from different places in Thailand. It’s good to book in advance as many tourists and locals will be visiting the city during this time. Use 12goAsia to find your tickets.

• From Bangkok you can fly with AirAsia from Don Mueang Airport. There are a couple of flights per day and the prices are quite good. After you land, head out of the luggage pick-up area. On the right you will see a kiosk with local taxis. You can order transport there. It costs around 200 THB to get to the city. From the capital you can also take a night bus, which takes 12 hours. You will get to Chiang Mai at 4 or 5am. They will probably drop you off by a busy road, where you will see red trucks. These are local taxis. They will take you to your hotel. There is also a night train from Bangkok, which I really recommend. The journey also takes around 12 hours and it’s very pleasant. Just remember to book your tickets in advance.
• There are also local flights to Chiang Mai from Krabi, Phuket and Surat Thani with AirAsia or NokAir. Again, during the festival it’s best to book everything in advance.

After the parade, I was exhausted and sweaty. I hadn’t eaten anything and I really needed coffee. The local Amazon Cafe didn’t have change, so I couldn’t buy it there. I finally decided to look for a beautiful coffee shop in the City and once I found it, I sat down, took a huge sip of my water and some coffee and started looking at my photos. I was really proud of them and I’m so glad I could share this and my experience with you here.

Chiang Mai Flower Festival is one of its kind event in Thailand. Nothing can be compared to its beauty. You will be stunned by the flowers, by all those amazing floats and people, who look like they just got out of a cover of a fashion magazine. I hope you can experience this event in the future and that my post will help you with organising your trip. If you have questions or would like to share your experiences, please leave a comment.

Remember that I have a whole ebook about Chiang Mai! Check it out here.