Every year on the first weekend of February, the Chiang Mai Flower Festival takes place featuring a parade, flower exhibition and the Miss Chiang Mai Flower Festival competition.
The hills and valleys of Chiang Mai are ideal natural habitats for a vast variety of tropical as well as temperate flowers. Most bloom early in the year from January to February. This is the best time to enjoy the spectacular floral tapestry that blankets the land with colourful flowers such as the African marigold, Globe Amaranth, orchids, Ban Chun, chrysanthemum, Celosia, and assorted roses such as the Fa Mui and thin Uang Dok Lek.
Chiang Mai takes great pride in having maintained its tradition of hosting the annual Chiang Mai Flower Festival for the past 38 years.The ancient Lanna Thai kingdom — ‘land of a million rice fields’ — was also famous for its tradition of artistic excellence. The northern province of Chiang Mai has since been known as the ‘home’ of the legendary Lanna Thai artisans. Long recognized for their exquisite craftsmanship, the northern region is also noted for its elaborate traditional floral art installations. The annual Chiang Mai Flower Festival features an impressive showcase of traditional and contemporary floral art and Lanna cultural splendour.