Akha Swing Festival 2025 Returns to Chiang Rai

Akha Swing Festival 2025 Showcases Hill Tribe Traditions in Chiang Rai

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is inviting travellers to experience the Akha Swing Festival 2025, an annual cultural event highlighting the heritage of the Akha hill tribe in Chiang Rai.

The festival marks the Akha New Year and honors E-Um Sa Yae, the goddess associated with agricultural abundance. It also reflects the Akha community’s respect for women, as women prepare detailed traditional attire for the occasion. Central to the festival is the swing, built from large wooden beams, used in ceremonial rites and community activities.

This year’s main event, Bo Chong Tu: The Akha Swing Festival, will be held on 6–7 September at Phra Siam Thewathirat Square in Sam Yaek Akha Village, Mae Fa Luang District. The program includes cultural performances, swing demonstrations, drumming shows, parades, a food fair, and a traditional market.

Additional community festivals will also take place:

• Ban Phahee, Mae Sai District – 4–8 September 2025. Events include the 7th annual Akha Cup football competition (4–5 September), swing construction rituals (6 September), the formal festival opening (7 September), and final swing activities (8 September). Traditional performances, community games, and local food contests are also planned.
• Doi Pha Mee, Mae Sai District – 6–8 September 2025. Activities include swing events and cultural performances at the village swing ground, highlighting the identity and traditions of the local Akha community.