Chiang Mai CAD New Year Countdown 2027

New Year's Eve 2026 in Chiang Mai: the CAD Countdown

Thursday 31 December 2026 | CAD Cultural Center Lanna, 35 Ban Sa Ha Khon, Mae On, Chiang Mai 50130

Ring in 2027 the northern Thai way. The CAD New Year Countdown brings a mass sky lantern release, a full fireworks show and a traditional Lanna village festival together in one evening, above the illuminated pagoda of CAD Cultural Center Lanna. Every seated ticket includes 2 sky lanterns per person, a Lanna Thai buffet dinner and the round-trip shuttle from Chiang Mai.

The midnight lantern release

As the countdown reaches zero, thousands of sky lanterns rise together into the night sky, and every seated guest releases 2 lanterns of their own. Around 30 minutes of fireworks over the great pagoda follow to welcome 2027.

How the evening unfolds

Shuttles leave from Central Chiang Mai Airport, in front of the GO Wholesale car park, every few minutes from about 17:30; the last one leaves at 20:00. On arrival you can taste Lanna snacks at the Lanna Ancient Market and explore the CAD Village and the Craft Village, with demonstrations of traditional crafts such as sword forging, rattan weaving and calligraphy, hands-on souvenir workshops, the fun fair and the food zones. The Lanna Thai buffet dinner starts at 18:30 in the dining zone of your ticket type. At about 21:30 you take your seat in front of the great pagoda for the stage show "Light of Faith: 730 Years of Lanna Glory", Lanna music and dance and a Lanna orchestra. A light and sound show leads into the countdown from 23:30 and the lantern release at midnight. Shuttles bring you back to the city after the fireworks. The full timetable is on the Itinerary tab.

Which ticket is right for you?

• Elite: the highest seats on the elevated stand with the widest view, dinner in the exclusive Elite zone plus a Lanna snack basket with soft drinks, the Elite souvenir, air-conditioned van.
• Platinum: elevated seats below Elite, dinner in the Platinum dining zone, a large souvenir, air-conditioned van.
• Gold: elevated seats below Platinum, dinner in the Gold dining zone, a medium souvenir, air-conditioned van.
• Premium: ground-level seats in the Pagoda Zone.
• Standard: ground-level seats in the Pagoda Zone, a souvenir, shared red truck (songthaew) or bus without air-conditioning.

Part of the ticket income goes to the local community and to charity.

Visiting in November instead? See the Khomloy Sky Lantern Festival at the same venue.