Events in Khon Kaen

Songkran Festival (April)

New Years, or the Dok Khun Siang Khaen Festival, is held every year during April at Bung Kaen Nakhon. People start the festival by cleaning the house and washing clothes as a ritual to rid them of the year's 'bad things'. They then pay respect to their ancestors, pour water on images of Buddha and ask for blessings. The residents take part in theatre pieces, a procession of flowers, and a boat race in Bung Kaen Nakhon.

Silk and Phuk Sieo Festival (November/December)

This festival is held every year at the end of November and beginning of December for 10 days at the Khon Kaen town hall. The idea is to promote the silk industry and to keep the traditions of this culture alive. Local silk works are displayed, contests are held and demonstrations of silk worm raising are shown. A friendship ritual is also held called Phuk Sieo. This is a north-eastern tradition that strengthens the bonds between friends.

Bouldering Festival (January)

During January, the city's climbing club hosts a bouldering festival in the meadow section of Nam Phong National Park. The festival attracts rock climbers from all over the world to take part in climbing new areas of the mountainous park and tackling over 100 bouldering routes.

Macha Bucha Day

This is one of the most important dates on the Buddhist calendar. Macha Bucha Day occurs on the first full moon of the third lunar month. It is a holy day for Buddhists and marks a point in history when 1,250 of Buddha's followers gathered at the same time to hear his sermon. Worshipers have to walk three times around temples and attend a candle-lit procession.