The Bun Bang Fai Rocket Festival in Yasothon is a vibrant celebration in northeastern Thailand, known for its spectacular homemade rockets reaching impressive heights and weights. This annual event occurs during the May full moon, drawing locals and tourists alike to enjoy the thrilling displays. Participants compete to launch rockets that mesmerize judges and audiences, all in hopes of ensuring a successful rainy season. The festival is filled with lively music, dance, and a festive atmosphere, creating an unforgettable experience in this charming rural town. Join in the excitement and witness a unique blend of tradition, competition, and communal celebration.
The Bun Bang Fai Rocket Festival is a colorful and exhilarating event celebrated in Yasothon, a city in northeastern Thailand’s Isan region. Known for having the largest festivities, Yasothon showcases rockets that can reach up to 9 meters in length and weigh over 100 kilograms. The festival attracts participants who strive to craft the most impressive rockets, dazzling judges and spectators alike as they ascend to breathtaking heights.
Taking place during the full moon in May, the festival embodies a cultural ritual aimed at praying for rain, essential for agriculture in the region. The excitement builds as competitors prepare their rockets, often infused with creativity and local flair, leading to dramatic launches that ignite the sky with color and sound.
Beyond the rocket launches, the Bun Bang Fai festival is marked by a lively party atmosphere. Visitors can enjoy traditional music and dance, sample local cuisine, and immerse themselves in the rich cultural heritage of the area. The sense of community is palpable, as locals come together to celebrate this significant event in their calendar.
As the rockets soar, so do the spirits of those gathered, making it a memorable experience for anyone lucky enough to participate or witness the festivities. Yasothon’s Rocket Festival is not just a competition; it is a heartfelt celebration of life, culture, and the hope for a fruitful rainy season.
ประเพณีบุญบั้งไฟจังหวัดยโสธร (เมืองยโสธร, ไทย) - รีวิว - ThailandAgoda.com
Rocket Festival Yasothon is perched on a picturesque hilltop overlooking Nai Mueang Phaya Thaen Public Park, 35000, Thailand
The whole town gets pissed starting Friday night thru to Sunday loud music thru town hot girls dancing on various stages . Parade saturday morning lots of colour culminating with rocket competion sunday man made rockets fly into the sky with prizes for longest distance ..
it is something between NASA and Civil War :)Absolutely amazing how big those rockets are and how high the fly. It is far from Bangkok, but if you are around it is really worth to see.
Recommend to anyone looking for a touch of crazy! Tourism in Yasothon is not so big, so when the festivals on expect the nicest of people. expect to look for suitable restaurants. We flew in to Roi Et from Bkk then arranged taxi to yasothon. Hotels in town are cheap. STAY THE THREE DAYS its a hoot. Friday night watch the town anger the gods, see music from dozens of stages next to each other watch out you can feel the vibration from the noise, see bar girls dancing on cars or old ladies walking 5ft D.cks around on wheels and leads. Join the locals drinking eating parting, comply with requests and rub a strangers rocket. Saturday sees a day of parades traditions and again more late night parting, fireworks beer and more. Buy small rockets yourself or sit back with a coffee and watch as young children bounce small rockets off the petrol bowsers Sunday WOW up they go and DOWN they come, its fun however its NOT the safest festival I’ve been to… Its HOT, its Dusty and not all rockets go in the desired direction. Locals do enjoy consuming a bottle or two or scotch before playing with rockets!This year was amazing, however our first visit in 2015 was ballistic IT RAINED wow the entire population began rolling in mud showing us a three day affair had only just started. Will I end up here again… Hell Yer!Note… country thai people are delightful, they don’t really speak English! and yes the food can be a little different! OH&S is nothing but 4 English letters they don’t understand. Grandstands are not overly stable some flex well when crowed, in 2015 they blew up their own fireworks display only minutes in to the show, so be warned. Lastly should you pass out drunk after the fireworks the thai police will tie you on the scooter and take you home [or so I heard ha ha]Really one of the best crazy things to do and remember nothing satisfies a thirst fast then a beer, so travel well or a least behave.
I have lived in Thailand for the past seven years and have been to many cities but I have never been to Issan. A friend of mine shared with me some videos taken last year of a rocket festival that he attended. Apparently it occurs in many cities throughout Issan as it is the festival to encourage the Gods for rain and a successful Harvest season. So I did some research and it was by general consensus that the Rocket Festival (Bun Bang Fai) in Yasothon is the largest in Issan. It takes place on the second full weekend of April each year. It is a three day festival from Friday night to late Sunday afternoon when the main street is closed to traffic and turned into a “Walking” street. This is the schedule. Friday night, there are bands, dancers, food vendors, and partiers along the main road and they play late into the evening. Saturday, the parade begins at 8am-4pm along the main street. It is very quiet on Saturday night surprisingly but due to the heavy alcohol consumption from Friday night through late Saturday afternoon, most people were either passed out or partied out .. hahaha. On Sunday, down by the main park began the rocket launching which goes on from 9am to 4pm. We were lucky as the forecast for those days were to be 50% precipitation but it did not rain at all while we were there. One recommendation: Bring earplugs. If you don’t have any, walk into any of the local pharmacies and purchase some. You will need them for the loud bands, massive speakers and for the rocket launches if you are observing them within the 150m Danger Zone area. People are friendly, festive and happy. It was a great event to try at least once. I met an American from San Diego who’s been there the last four years.
3 Days of freedom, dancing, Issan music, Morlam sing, street food, and then the rockets! One of the greatest public celebrations in the world. It’s real and free. make the burning man, Glasto and NHG festivals look pathetic ..something for all..
We attended the 2019 Bun Bang Fai – Rocket Festival every day, we witnessed the opening ceremony, the beautiful Thai dancind (I don’t know how they danced for hours in the heat) we were sweating just sitting in the grandstands. The firing of the rockets is just something special & to see the local people from mant surrounding villages having such a good time was really awsome. We were treated really, really well & invited into peoples parties & offered their their food & drinks whilst at the event, everyone was just so kind & having a great time. The parties in the main street go on into the early hours & the music is soooooo loud! Fantastic festival & I’m so happy I finally got to attend it.
The festival came just after the rains, and it left the site in disarray. The rockets were great fun.
Three day event with first day full of street parties and bands everywhere, very loud and lots of booze lol. Day 2 is the parade and judging of the floats, band and traditional dancers. Very enjoyable and goes for most of the day. There is also the street food fair with tons of food and merchandise for sale.Day 3 is rocket launch day and just great to wonder around and check out the culture of the whole things, more bands and music too.
The Yasothon Rocket Festival (Bun Bang Fai) is the best-known (and perhaps the largest) of several rocket festivals organized in Isaan at the start of rainy season. If you like raucous behaviour, chaos, noise and a bit of danger, this is the event for you! The rocket launches, which take place on Sunday of the 3-day event, organized the second weekend in May, are truly awesome! Amazing launches, with some occasional spectacular failures! Come prepared with water, hats, sunscreen and umbrellas, as it can be VERY hot. A mat to place on the ground and stake out some territory is also not a bad idea. And — for the sensitive — earplugs… not for the sound of the rockets so much as to block out some of the intense noise of music and announcements related to the rocket launches. Access to the festival grounds and the event is free. Lots of vendors selling food, drinks, and small rockets!
The Yasothon weekend rocket festival will be a new Isaan cultural experience if it’s your first time attending. It’s important to book your hotel 1 or 2 months earlier since there are only 5 hotels ( 2-3 stars) in the city. On Friday night about 2 kilometers of Main Street ( hwy 23) is turned into a “Walking Street” with over 15 stages of a variety of bands ( rap, traditional Isaan music, temporary Thai Rock, and Western) A couple Isaan folk dance presentations also and a stage with DJ’s blasting away dance music. It sounds like fun but unfortunately the idiotic planners have these stages too close to one another— each with their mega speakers blaring away louder than a jet fighter taking off; thus, the various stage music is inaudible. Plenty of food and beverage stalls . There is also a beauty pageant held that night. Saturday morning is the colorful parade with floats, various groups dressed in traditional costumes, and music. It is definitely a photographer’s delight. All groups perform at the public seating area ( portable benches) but the seating is limited. Hot and crowded so bring plenty of water.