Chiang Mai's three flagship festivals

Yi Peng — the Lanna festival of light, when thousands of paper lanterns rise into the night sky. It falls on the full moon of the twelfth lunar month, usually in November, and overlaps with Loy Krathong, when floating candle-rafts are released into the rivers. The two events are celebrated together over three days at Tha Phae Gate, Nawarat Bridge and the Ping River.

The first Friday, Saturday and Sunday of February. The 49th edition runs 13–15 February 2026, with the floral parade on Saturday 14 February at 08:00 from Nawarat Bridge along Tha Pae Road into Suan Buak Hat Park.

13–15 April, the official Thai New Year. Chiang Mai's celebration is among the country's largest — three full days of water fights along the moat, plus a Buddha-image procession from Wat Phra Singh on day one.

Yes, though they overlap. Loy Krathong ("floating basket") is the all-Thailand festival of floating candle-rafts on rivers; Yi Peng is the northern Lanna festival of sky lanterns and is unique to the north. In Chiang Mai they happen on the same nights, so most visitors experience them together.

Yes, but only in designated areas and on the official festival nights. Releasing lanterns elsewhere is illegal because of the risk to aircraft from Chiang Mai International Airport — there is a no-fly zone in effect every Yi Peng with hundreds of flights cancelled or diverted. Free public lantern releases happen at Tha Phae Gate and along the Ping River. Ticketed mass-release events (Doi Saket, Mae Jo) cost 4,000–15,000 baht and sell out months in advance.

Yes. Yi Peng and the Flower Festival are the two highest-demand weekends of the year. Hotels in the Old City book out three to six months ahead and prices double or triple. The first week of December (King's Birthday) and Songkran are similarly busy.