Bangkok Summer Events

Heading to Bangkok between March and June? Congratulations; you've just booked a summer vacation. Thailand's flirting with the equator means its summer doesn't fall on a traditional period, but who cares? You're booked, you're primed, you're ready for summer fun. So, what sorts of events can you expect to find? Check out our picks of the best summer events in Bangkok and learn all about them!

Including:

• Songkran Water Festival
• VERY Summer Festival
• Visakha Bucha
• Surawongse Festival
• and more!

Songkran Water Festival

We've already waxed lyrical about Songkran Water Festival, including the celebration's origins, so if you want to do a deep dive, feel free to check it out!

For those of you who don't fancy a click, Songkran is a Thai national holiday that celebrates water. Water is obviously a pretty important part of all our lives, so it makes sense that at least somebody celebrates it! In Thailand, this celebration takes many forms: cleaning the feet, washing Buddha statues, and perhaps most importantly to you, one giant, country-wide water fight.

Bangkok, in particular, is awash - pun obviously intended - with water pistols, buckets, and other ways to soak one's fellow human. It is an absolute bloodbath, minus the blood. Locals and tourists are both the predator and prey during Songkran, so feel free to get out there and do some wholesome damage. Not many summer events so readily welcome a good water fight to cool off. Bangkok's summers can be particularly egregious, so make the most of it!

VERY Summer Festival

Of course, one of the many joys of summer is music festivals. What better way to make the most of the summer sun than standing in a field watching musicians play hundreds of feet away? Exactly, there's no better way.

VERY Summer Festival is one of those festivals, with two days of live music that cover a whole host of genres, courtesy of artists from all over the world. Day one is for pop lovers, and day two has a rockier vibe for all you air guitar enjoyers. You can get a pass for either day, or a two-day pass to experience it all. Choices, choices.

While we can't predict the lineup in 2024, if only, some of the acts playing at this year's VERY Summer Festival include Sabrina Carpenter, DPR Ian, RINI, and The Academic. And no, we've not heard of any of those artists before, but you may have.

Royal Plowing Ceremony

Usually falling on a date between April and May - depending on the lunar calendar - the Royal Plowing Ceremony is a big deal in Thailand. A tradition that dates back nearly 1000 years, it signifies the beginning of the rice harvest. Rice was, and still is, a pretty big staple for a Thai diet, so it's hardly surprising that such a ceremony exists.

But what is the Royal Plowing Ceremony? Well, it involves two red and gold-covered oxen circling a field in front of the Grand Palace with plows attached to them. After this, the oxen are offered a variety of foods, and the one they choose determines which crop will have the best harvest. Well, at least that's what the superstitious believe.

Since it takes place in front of the Grand Palace, the Thai Royal Family tend to pop their heads out and say hi too. And you're more than welcome to go see what all the fuss is about.

Buddha's Birthday

That's right; summer is also the big man's birthday! So, if you're in Bangkok, why not celebrate the big event? Buddha's Birthday, or Visakha Bucha, is a big deal in Thailand, which is hardly surprising when you learn that 95% of the country's population is Buddhist.

So what's the festival all about? Well, it celebrates the three most important events in his life; his birth, enlightenment, and passing, when he finally achieved Nirvana. There's no fixed date for Visakha Bucha, as Thailand uses the lunar calendar, but it usually happens in either May or June.

Expect to see people visiting local temples, making offerings, performing rituals, and meditating - Buddha loved to meditate. You'll also see candle parades pass by temples in Bangkok, and you're more than welcome to go and observe them. It might not be one of the most exciting summer events on this list, but it's one of the most important for the locals.

Trooping the Colors

Another summer event in Bangkok, another royal bonanza, and yet another birthday! You truly are spoilt for choice. This one's called Trooping the Colors, and it celebrates the King of Thailand's big day.

As the name suggests, the celebration involves troops - 2000 to be exact, each dressed in colorful uniforms. They march down Ratchadamnoen Avenue to the Royal Plaza, where they swear allegiance to the King and Queen. All of this is accompanied by live music from a marching band. As you can expect, thousands of onlookers attend every year to catch a glimpse of the royal couple.

So, if you're in town on June 11, why not go and check it out?

Surawongse Festival

And finally, how about something a little different? Bangkok is an absolute treat for foodies, with Thai cuisine one of the most popular in the world. Rather than roam the streets to find the best spots in town, why not go to a Thai food festival instead?

It's held at Marriot's The Surawongse every April for a couple of days, and gives punters the chance to dine on the hotel's 5-star grub. It's held on the hotel's rooftop, so you not only get great food from some of the best chefs in the city, you get a view to match it too.

The affair is very laid back, with loungers, deck chairs, and plenty of tables for you to sit down and soak up the vibes. Oh, and did we mention that it's free to get in? Yeah, that'll do just fine.

And those are the very best summer events in Bangkok! If you're looking for more summer fun, check out Go City! With our All-Inclusive Pass and Explorer Pass, you can see all of Bangkok's best bits for one low price.