Phuket Vegetarian Festival 2016 – Calendar of Events
The Vegetarian Festival is Phuket’s most famous festival. Deeply rooted in local Thai-Chinese culture and tradition, the festival is really something that should be experienced while you are staying at Kata Ocean View Residences. This year’s festival will be held from the 1st to the 9th of October in various locations around Phuket.
Vegetarian Festival Phuket
Lantern Pole Raising kicks off the Phuket Vegetarian Festival
The Lantern Pole Raising Ceremony is the first major event of the Phuket Vegetarian Festival. The ceremony takes place at all Chinese shrines across the island, and will be held on Friday the 30th of September 2016. Once raised, the bamboo lantern pole is said to attract the 36,000 Gods of the Chinese pantheon. The Lantern Pole Raising Ceremony takes place between 15:00 and 17:45pm.
Phuket Vegetarian Festival
Also during the day, all of the Chinese shrines have the Heavenly Warriors Releasing Ritual in the afternoon, and in the evening, the Jade Emperor God and the Nine Emperor Gods Invitation Ritual from 22:00pm to 24:00pm. The latter is highly recommended, and a good place to watch is near Jui Tui Chinese Shrine in Phuket Town.
Processions in Phuket Town are a MUST See
The processions of the Phuket Vegetarian Festival have to been seen in order to be believed. Although not for those with a weak stomach, the processions are deep-rooted in faith and are fantastic displays of culture, colour and noise. The schedule for this year’s processions is as follows:
Phuket Vegetarian Festival
Mon 3 Oct: Sapam Shrine street procession from 07:00
Tue 4 Oct: Samkong Shrine street procession from 07:19
Wed 5 Oct: Ban Tha Rue Shrine street procession from 07:30
Thu 6 Oct: Bang Neow Shrine street procession from 07:00
Fri 7 Oct: Jui Tui Shrine street procession from 08:00
Sat 8 Oct: Kathu and Yokkekeng Shrines street procession from 07:00
Sun 9 Oct: Sui Boon Tong Shrine street procession from 07:00
Other Notable Ceremonies
In addition to the processions, there are other notable ceremonies held during the Phuket Vegetarian Festival that showcase the incredible strengths of the entranced Ma Song (devotees whom the Gods enter during the festival) that are interesting to attend and watch. These ceremonies include hot oil bathing, fire walking and climbing bladed ladders. The fire walking ceremonies are held from the 6th to the 9th of October, and the schedule of times and locations is as follows:
Thu 6 Oct: Jui Tui Shrine Fire Walking at Saphan Hin from 20:09
Thu 6 Oct: Fire Walking at Sui Boon Tong Shrine from 21:00
Thu 6 Oct: Fire Walking at Ban Tha Rua Shrine from 20:00
Thu 6 Oct: Fire Walking at Yokkekeng Shrine from 20:00
Thu 6 Oct: Fire Walking at Sapam Shrine from 21:00
Sat 8 Oct: Fire Walking at Bang Neow Shrine from 20:00
Sat 8 Oct: Fire Walking at Samkong Shrine from 20:00
Sat 8 Oct: Fire Walking at Cherng Talay Shrine from 20:09
Sun 9 Oct: Fire Walking at Kathu Shrine from 15:00
Two of the other notable ceremonies that we encourage attending are as follows:
Fri 7 Oct: Bladed-ladder climbing at Bang Neow Shrine from 20:00
Fri 7 Oct: Oil bathing and tying children’s wrist at Ban Tha Rua Shrine from 20:45
Last Day of the Phuket Vegetarian Festival
The last day of the Phuket Vegetarian Festival is Sunday the 9th of October 2016. On this day, those who participated in the festival will cross the bridge of purification, which can be found at each Chinese shrine on the island.
The closing ceremony of the Phuket Vegetarian Festival is incredibly impressive and equally as loud. Starting at 21:00pm in the evening, all of the Chinese shrines will join together in a massive procession in Phuket Town that ends at Saphan Hin. Known as the Nine Emperor God Farewell, the ending street procession features a lot of fireworks and plenty of photo opportunities.
Getting There
If you are interested in attending the Phuket Vegetarian Festival while staying at Kata Ocean View Residences, do not hesitate to speak to our wonderful guest relations staff. Our guest relations staff are able to help arrange transportation and answer any questions you might have about the Phuket Vegetarian Festival.
Further Information
Further information about the history and events of the Phuket Vegetarian Festival can be found at www.phuketvegetarian.com
