Chinese New Year's Day 2016 is on February 8, and the festivities will be preceded by the 16th Phuket Old Town Festival.
The Tourism Authority of Thailand Phuket office (TAT) and Phuket City will combine the Chinese New Year celebrations with the annual Old Phuket Festival at the public park next to the TAT offices on Phuket Road with many colourful shows including a dragon dance and traditional dances. Four Old Phuket Town streets - Thalang Road, Krabi Road, Dibuk Road and Phang Nga Road – will be closed to motorized traffic for three evenings of pedestrian celebrations. You'll see Chinese houses with their living rooms decorated with vases of flowers, platters of oranges and tangerines and a tray with eight varieties of dried sweet fruit. The entrances of many shops and houses will be festooned with red banners and decorations to encourage luck and happiness during the coming year. It's a sensory circus, with performances of traditional dance, food, music, and art.
Try to be at the TAT office by 18:00 at any evening during the event as there will be a demonstration on how to make some popular local traditional desserts as well as free samples to savour. What not to miss is a daily tour to Phuket shrines around town by the TAT. Please contact its office as reservation in advance is needed. The community event is free and open to all.