Flower Festival
The Chiang Rai Flower Festival is an annual event held for ten days from December 26 at the Suan Mai Ngam Rim Nam Kok Park. Hundreds of species of tropical and temperate, ornamental flowers are planted with specially designed themes. Locally-grown tulips, that rival the Dutch variety, are the all time favorite.
The highlight of the Chiang Rai Flower Festival is a parade of floral floats starting early in the morning from Suan Tung in the middle of the city. A number of competitions are held including a local beauty contest called Miss Thinn Thai Ngam, an orchid contest, a miniature garden contest, a painting and photo contest, and a flower arrangement contest.
There is also an open market called Kad Mua selling local products and food. To promote the appreciation of local cultural heritage and indigenous knowledge, a special zone contains a hill tribe village showing the lifestyles of the major ethnic groups of the province.