Chiang Mai Fest 2012

[ChiangMaiMail]

Chiang Mai Fest brings street art, musicians

Earth Wind & Fire and the Tourism Authority of Thailand are joining hands to reintroduce Chiang Mai Fest to the cultural surroundings of Three Kings Monument from March 23 to April 7, 2012.

Yut Wanichanond, Consultant of Earth Wind & Fire, said following a much-hyped inaugural year in 2011 as a three-day event, the Chiang Mai Fest would return this year with 16 days of packed programs.

“The Chiang Mai Fest 2012 will be even bigger, starting with the First International Street Painting Festival in Thailand,” he said.

The inaugural Street Painting Festival will bring in world-famous chalk painters such as Melanie Van Latum and Lysa Ashley from the USA and Tony Cuboliquido from Italy to turn streets, pavements and temporary walls at the Three Kings Monument into an outdoor art exhibition and workshop from March 23 to April 7. The “Art on Street” exhibition will start with a curtain raiser at the Old District Court on Friday, March 23 from 17.00 to 18.00 hrs.

The Chiang Mai Fest 2012 will also reintroduce the city’s first and only International Music Festival from April 6 to 7. In its second year, the two-day event will feature world-class performances by international artists such as German contemporary singer Thomas Kiessling, South African opera - classic pop crossover male vocal group Il Quinto, American Blues and Soul revivalist band Blues Brothers and Thai musical maestro Neung Jakkawal.

Yut said last year, the three-day Chiang Mai Fest attracted nearly 10,000 visitors and generated 150,000,000 baht revenue to Chiang Mai, as well as boosted tourist’s length of stay in the city from 2 to 15 day during the Songkran Festival.

“This year, we expect the 16-day Chiang Mai Fest to attract over 35,000 local and international visitors and help to generate some 200-300 million baht in tourism-related revenue,” he added.

Mr. Wiwatchai Boonyapak, Events Department Director of the Tourism Authority of Thailand, said the Chiang Mai Fest 2012 would attract tourists more to Chiang Mai between late-March and early-April in addition to the expected high turnouts during the Songkran Festival.

“The Chiang Mai Fest 2012 will boost tourism revenue and raise the image of Chiang Mai as the centre of international, music, art and culture,” Mr. Wiwatchai said. For more information, Please contact 053 292 224, E-mail: [email protected].www.chiangmaifest.com (PR)

http://chiangmai-mai...tours.shtml#hd3

[chiangmaimail][/chiangmaimail]

[weary]

Great initiative - well done! Now there's just the problem of 200 + PM10 levels to fix so that people can enjoy the outdoors festival without wearing gas masks... Just 4 days to go to get the situation under control. Should be a piece of tiramisu.

Edited March 19, 2012 by weary

[MESmith]

May be they could drop the "fire" & increase the "wind" to save the "earth"