Out of Norm Travels - Rocket Festival @ Yasothorn, Thailand
I have been wanting to take this trip to witness the for the past 3 years so I was elated when I found a travel companion 1.5 weeks before the annual Rocket Festival started at Yasothorn, Thailand over the weekend of May 10-12 that I booked my air ticket and made the overnight bus ride down to this unusual and truly unique experience. As in many Thai festivals, the festival varies from year to year due to Thai lunar calendar calculations but understand that essentially it's held during the weekend of the 2nd week of May.
Thailand Rocket Festival, also known as Bun Bang Fai is one of the most explosive and unusual festivals in the Thai calendar. A must-visit event if you happen to be up in the Isaan (northeastern) region of Thailand.
According to www.wherethailand.com, this festival is based on an old folk belief, every May local farmers look to try and coax the gods into the romantic mood needed to produce rainfall by sending huge phallic-shaped rockets or “Bang Fai” up into the heavens.
Such festivals can be found throughout the region but the Yasothon festival has now grown to become the biggest with street parties involving beauty pageants, colorful traditional costumes and local music.
According to the locals, the 1st night involves the competition amongst the bandstands setup by the various groups where each bandstand plays traditional music as loud as they can throughout the competition - this is apparently the highlight of the 1st day events.
On the 2nd day, which is the day I arrived in Yasothorn, the main event is the parade where droves of parade participants adorning traditional costumes participate in a competition where the choreography of dancing and singing along with traditional Issan music is judged by the VIPs of the parade.
The 3rd day event mainly involved the firing of the Rockets (many of which are home made or take months to build and can be over ten feet high) - these are fired off from giant launch pads throughout the day making for a ear-blasting closing affair. I understand from the locals that this rocket firing is also a chance for them to participate in some local bets where moneys are placed on those rockets that the people felt would shoot the highest off the ground. As this is also apparently one of the events where a few fatalities occur every year, the last day of rocket firing should be attempted with caution and recommended for foreigners if you are accompanied by a Thai interpreter.
It is largely a traditional festival with the locals being very involved in the event - it should be viewed as a gathering for the locals and not seen through foreign eyes more used to the razz and pizzazz of festivals. Many of the dances and music are traditional to the region and festivities held during the Rocket Festival reflect their local way of life and traditions. I am thankful to have witnessed this local festival which I believe remains relatively untouched by Western influences. Here's some of the photos taken of the 2nd day parade.
Video uploaded with Music and Dancing: Yasothorn Rocket Festival 2013
Till the next time, onto the world and beyond!
Thailand Rocket Festival, also known as Bun Bang Fai is one of the most explosive and unusual festivals in the Thai calendar. A must-visit event if you happen to be up in the Isaan (northeastern) region of Thailand.
According to www.wherethailand.com, this festival is based on an old folk belief, every May local farmers look to try and coax the gods into the romantic mood needed to produce rainfall by sending huge phallic-shaped rockets or “Bang Fai” up into the heavens.
Such festivals can be found throughout the region but the Yasothon festival has now grown to become the biggest with street parties involving beauty pageants, colorful traditional costumes and local music.
According to the locals, the 1st night involves the competition amongst the bandstands setup by the various groups where each bandstand plays traditional music as loud as they can throughout the competition - this is apparently the highlight of the 1st day events.
On the 2nd day, which is the day I arrived in Yasothorn, the main event is the parade where droves of parade participants adorning traditional costumes participate in a competition where the choreography of dancing and singing along with traditional Issan music is judged by the VIPs of the parade.
The 3rd day event mainly involved the firing of the Rockets (many of which are home made or take months to build and can be over ten feet high) - these are fired off from giant launch pads throughout the day making for a ear-blasting closing affair. I understand from the locals that this rocket firing is also a chance for them to participate in some local bets where moneys are placed on those rockets that the people felt would shoot the highest off the ground. As this is also apparently one of the events where a few fatalities occur every year, the last day of rocket firing should be attempted with caution and recommended for foreigners if you are accompanied by a Thai interpreter.
It is largely a traditional festival with the locals being very involved in the event - it should be viewed as a gathering for the locals and not seen through foreign eyes more used to the razz and pizzazz of festivals. Many of the dances and music are traditional to the region and festivities held during the Rocket Festival reflect their local way of life and traditions. I am thankful to have witnessed this local festival which I believe remains relatively untouched by Western influences. Here's some of the photos taken of the 2nd day parade.
Video uploaded with Music and Dancing: Yasothorn Rocket Festival 2013
Till the next time, onto the world and beyond!
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