Winter Rose Festival at JJ Market

December 21- 23, 2007

For flower lovers this is the best time of the year for a visit to Chiang Mai. The Chiang Mai Rose Festival takes place December 21-23 at the JJ Market organized by The Chiang Mai Rose Growers’ Group. Activities include contests for the best roses, an exhibitions of roses, sale of roses, plants and gardening essentials.

2nd Chiang Mai Marathon

December 30, 2007

• Event Name : Chiang Mai Marathon 2007
• Organisers : Chiang Mai Marathon Project
• Website : www.chiangmaimarathon.com
• Date : Sunday, 30 December 2007
• Time : 4.00 am. (Marathon / Team Relay)
• 5.00 am. (Half Marathon)
• 6.00 am. (Minimarathon 10 km.)
• 8.00 am. (Kids Run and Walk)
• Race Route : Chiangmai old Town - Wiang Koom Kam The Underground An- cient City - Royalflora Expo - Chiangmai old Town
• Starting Point : The Thapae Gate
• End Point : The Thapae Gate
• Route Certified By : Jogging and enjoy sports of Thailand (JOG&JOY)
• see running map at web page

Baan Tawai Cultural and Carving Fair

Dec 30 - Jan 2, 2008

All types of furniture and craft making demonstrations, and competitions. Bargain price sales of wood carvings and local handicrafts. Your custom designs can be made while the fair is on. The event highlight is a procession of the entire range of wood crafts. Local folk performances for more entertainment. Hosted by the Tawai village, Hang Dong district.

Chiangmai Red Cross Winter Fair

Dec 28 - Jan 6, 2008

This annual fair is a large and splendid provincial event for much of the province’s agricultural population. Entertainment galore, games and activities for children and grown-ups alike. The biggest crowd pleaser is the Miss Chiangmai Beauty Pageant held in the evening and nationally televised. This site of this year’s fair is behind the Chiangmai Provincial Hall, Chiangmai-Mae Rim Road.

Chiang Mai Art Market

Every Sunday evening

Walking Street hosts a new event behind the Art & Cultural Center from the hours of 5.30 pm to 10 pm. Here on display will be all types of art produced by Chiang Mai Artists. Look forward to folk entertainment as well as shopping for handicrafts and handwoven textiles famous in this Province.

Borsarng Umbrella Festival

January 18 - 20, 2008

THE UMBRELLA FESTIVAL, one of the most popular annual festivals in Chiangmai Province, is celebrated at Borsarng Village in the Sankampaeng District. It is located 12 kms. from the inner city of Chiangmai, or 9 kms. from the Superhighway intersection see Maps in this issue.

Everyday in Borsarng, you will see umbrellas as you’ve rarely seen before -- Umbrellas to keep the rain off, parasols to keep the sun off, tiny umbrellas to decorate a cocktail glass and huge umbrellas to enhance your garden, patio or terrace. Some are made from stretched cotton over bamboo and are undecorated plain and simple -- while others, made from specially prepared mulberry (saa) paper are a riot of color and exotic scenes of Thailand and nature. These items are always popular with visitors to ship back home.

There are parades along the main street of the village each day of the festival, but the biggest parade is on the opening day (Fri, Jan 18). This parade features traditional ancient bells, drums and Lanna musical instruments, ‘fingernail’ and tribal dancers, processions of floats decorated with painted umbrellas, beauty contestants, Lanna costumes and traditional offerings for monks. There is a beauty contest, woodcarving contests plus fan and umbrella painting contests. The entire village gets involved in the contest for best decorated shops.

Christmas & New Year Festival

Dec 24 - 25 and Dec 31, January 1

See our Holiday Events page for suggested places to celebrate these joyful holidays with friends and family.

In the cool, cool of the evening

Throughout December & January

Stroll with your darling, during the cool winter evenings at the Suan Buak Haad Park located in the southwest corner of the old moat.