Those who enjoy Thai food, music and performances should save this date - Saturday 19 April - to join Chow Luck Club’s lively and colourful celebrations of Songkran, the Thai New Year.
Starting at 10am, the vibrant Thai culture will be the focus of the event called “Splash”, that will include a range of Thai food stalls along with our usual market stalls, cultural performances and a festive water fight.
“There will be traditional Thai street food like som tum, pad ka pao, sai krok isan and even dishes that are now commonly found in restaurants here such as hoy tod and sa koo sai moo,” said Bee Koh, event organiser and Chow Luck Club director.
The event is jointly organized with members of the local Thai community led by Amy Oswald and Onnie Wangchanon. Entertainment will feature Thai folk and regional dances.
Songkran is not only Thailand’s biggest festival, but it is also one of the most important events on the Buddhist calendar.
During the event, participants can also have the opportunity to “bathe the Buddha”, a sacred ritual known as Song Nam Phra of pouring fragrant water over a Buddha statue. The act symbolizes purification, cleansing away bad luck and sin and seeks blessing for the coming year.
Songkran festival starts on 13 April, and celebrations marking the beginning of the traditional Thai new year usually last for seven days.
“There will be an area for water fights, where people can use water guns or buckets to splash water at one another,” Bee said.
“The whole objective is to give people a chance to experience what it’s like to be part of the Thai new year celebrations beyond just food and performances.”
Bee said if you step into the “water fight zone” then expect to get wet.
What is Songkran?
The festival originated centuries ago as a purification rite, when temples, Buddha images, and homes were cleaned and tidied as a way to clear away negative influences. Traditional celebrations involved a gentle sprinkling of scented water.
Songkran celebrations
In recent years, Songkran celebrations have become more commercialized. In Thailand, water guns and water activities take centrestage and the throwing of water has become a huge part of the celebration over the past two decades. People get splashed with water with anything that can hold water - from buckets, mugs and water guns.
SPLASH - Chow Luck Club Thai New Year celebrations
Saturday 19 April 2025, 10am - 3pm. Free entry Postponed to: Saturday 26 April, 2025 due to weather.
ParkCity, 261 Morrin Road, St John’s, Auckland.
