The Annual Bo Sang Village Umbrella Festival near Chiang Mai Is Truly Unique
The Bo Sang Umbrella festival isn’t typically advertised to tourists and for one reason or another, it’s largely remained a secret.
This year the festival will take place from January 17-19, 2024 which falls over Friday to Sunday in the small village of Bo Sang about 30-40 minutes from Chiang Mai center.
If you are looking for a relatively untouched cultural experience, then this is it! Catch it before it becomes a stop on the tourism trail.
What to expect at the Bo Sang Village Umbrella Festival?
Bo Sang is a small village with one main road located about a 30 minute drive from Chiang Mai. The festivities are centralized along and around the main road.
The Bo Sang Umbrella Festival is spread out over a three day period during the third weekend in January. This means that in 2024, the Umbrella Festival will take place January 17-19, 2024.
Best of all, it’s entirely FREE!
During the evening of the first day, there will be opening celebrations at 6pm with music, beauty competitions, and decorative umbrella displays.
Over the weekend, there will be numerous activities, with the highlight being the Bo Sang Beauty Pageant Bicycle Parade. Here, beautifully dressed women in traditional Lanna wear, ride down the street in skirts holding a parasol in one hand while controlling the bike with the other. If that’s not a skill, I don’t know what is!
The parade will take place twice a day on Saturday and Sunday. The timings are approximately 10 am and again at 2 pm. Our friends recommend you aim for the afternoon parade as there will be more activities on and food stalls open, however, it will be much hotter weather then.
With it being hotter during the afternoon, you may wish to purchase your own Bo Sang umbrella parasol, or even paint your own!
Walk on over to the Bo Sang Umbrella Making Centre. It is the first umbrella making factory warehouse on the main street, closer to the main highway end.
Here, you can experience first hand all the effort that goes into making a single umbrella. Every aspect of each umbrella’s design is hand made. Typically the women produce the parasols, and the men paint them in stunning designs.
If you decide to purchase one, you can actually request a personal design. Alternatively, you can buy an umbrella from the factory’s shop. or even purchase a plain umbrella and some paints to paint your own!
Bo Sang Village also provides a great opportunity to pick up some one-of-a-kind souvenirs for friends or family back home.
In addition to the Umbrella Parade and umbrella making, there will be dancing and performances, and lots of opportunity to try some local food.
How To Get To The Bo Sang Umbrella Festival?
Bo Sang is a short distance from Chiang Mai. Check Google Maps to see its exact location.
Because the distance is not too far, you may consider taking a songtaew. You will need to take a white songtaew out of Chiang Mai. It is easiest to find one at Warorot Market although you’ll need to make sure the rivers are willing to drop you in Bo Sang.
The cost should be only 20 baht per person! This is by far the cheapest way to get to the Bo Sang Umbrella Festival.
You could also hire a tuk tuk to take you there! Prices will be more, likely around 300 baht.
The other easiest way to get to Bo Sang is to take a Grab, Bolt or InDriver.
For locals, all you need to do is drive along the 1006. Look for signs once you pass the second ring aod (the 121) and turn left straight onto the main street. Look for parking near the Umbrella Making Centre.
