Each winter, as the Chiang Mai skies above clear back to blue, as temperatures drop to single digits across its tallest peaks and as flowers burst into blossom and bloom at every turn, Chiang Mai gears itself up to become a city filled with festivities and activities.
Yet aside from the cool climes and packed lineup of cultural activities, a growing music festival scene is populating the January calendar, flooding the city with locals, tourists and musicians looking to make the most of the glorious weather and festive party vibes.
Standout among the crowd is Thantawan Music and Lifestyle Festival, starting its debut music festival last year, treading in the footsteps of the mega successful annual Jai Thep Festival, which folded at the start of the pandemic. Taking place last weekend (Jan 11-12), the festival brought some world-famous performers to the picturesque hills of Chiang Mai, and we were there to check it out.
Chiang Mai’s Biggest International Lineup
This year’s festival saw 14 Thai bands and 32 Thai and international DJs perform across three stages dotted around the large garden – said to be the largest number of international artists at any one event in Chiang Mai to date.
Thai and foreigners crowded around to catch highlight performances this year included alternative rock band Musketeers and popular singer-songwriter Phum Viphurit, both performing live to a chorus of applauds and karaoke singing.
On the international side, UK DJ Fresh, Singapore-based DJ James Selva, chart-topping Drunken Kong and fan favourite Thai DJ Nakadia, made debut appearances at the event alongside dozens of other equally renowned artists.
Authorities Finally on Side
According to Thantawan Festival founder, South African Damian Johnston, “Thantawan is a festival in the North, put on by folks in the North and benefits the people of the North. This is what we believe in and will continue to strive to make reality.”
Whereas in the past local government officials have frowned upon and tutt-tutted party-style festivals, this year’s Thantawan was supported by not only attendees and local businesses, but also the government sector, from the deputy governor to the Tourism Authority of Thailand, as Chiang Mai begins to align its vision to turn the city into one where festivals become part of the city’s DNA.
To help maintain good relationships (and to provide more to festival goers in general) the festival this year focused more on creating a family-friendly event by the addition of a large kid’s zone, hot air balloon rides and immersive experiences in a 360 degree dome for all ages.
The usual festival staples also made a more prominent experience, including yoga, Zumba, breathwork and, of course, fire shows. There were also numerous workshops, so festival goers can take a break to learn how to make a flute, try out a quantum healing and psychic massage, or leave with a newly-minted reprogrammed mind!
Over 50 local food and drinks vendors also set up shop, making sure all attendees were well fed and watered with a great variety of local as well as international dishes and drinks.
Bigger is not always Better
The Pang Fan Rock and River Garden, where the festival is now located, is set in a lush valley with a backdrop of Doi Saket District’s mountains. The aptly named rock and river garden comes complete with green lawns and jungly trees with a bubbly brook gurgling through it all. It even has a few man made waterfalls dotted throughout to pull in the Insta crowds.
Since it is normally a popular café stop on the road between Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai, the venue was perfectly suited to the festival experience, with ample amenities and utilities which helped make the Thantawan Festival experience quite comfortable.
However, with a bigger venue comes a need for a bigger crowd. In spite of the sold-out glamping site, Thantawan still struggled with a fairly anaemic turnout when compared with larger and more established national level festivals.
Although the vibe was certainly there, the smaller crowds made the venue feel a bit too empty at times – thankfully, by the late evening, everyone seemed to have migrated to the DJ stage that welcomed a more crowded audience of dancing and revelry.
Temperatures also unexpectedly dropped down to eight degrees Celsius that weekend, which, although loved by many, didn’t help encourage those staying late to set up a tent and brave the elements. Thankfully, the well-organised shuttle buses to and from the city ensured a steady flow of festival goers.
“The temperature really hit our numbers hard,” added Johnston, who thanked everyone who stayed on and braved the weather, noting that he expects the festival to draw larger numbers in the coming years.
Next year’s festival is already confirmed, with details expected to come out later this year. Follow TimeOut Chiang Mai for the latest information and updates from Thantawan and many other festivals in Chiang Mai this year – it’s going to be a big year!
To find out about Thantawan Music and Lifestyle Festival 2026, visit their Facebook page or www.Thantawanfestival.com