4th of July - Anyone know whats happening in CM?

[CMSteve]

Usually by now, we've had at least a few rumbling about 4th of July festivities. Did I miss them?

[daoyai]

Have only heard of a River Mkt. event.

[BarnicaleBob]

The River Market is the only 4th of July event I have heard of so far. Tickets can be purchased there or at any of the Dukes restaurants; 1,200 baht for adults and 6 baht for kids. I believe the price includes all you can eat and four beers or sodas. I've been told there will be only a limited number of tickets sold so do not wait until the last minute or expect to show up and be able to buy a ticket on the day at the gate.

[Gonzo the Face]

The River Market is the only 4th of July event I have heard of so far. Tickets can be purchased there or at any of the Dukes restaurants; 1,200 baht for adults and 6 baht for kids. I believe the price includes all you can eat and four beers or sodas. I've been told there will be only a limited number of tickets sold so do not wait until the last minute or expect to show up and be able to buy a ticket on the day at the gate.

BarnicaleBob....... I think that you meant for the ticket price for children to be 600 baht not 6 baht...... I would like to be wrong on this and try and sneak in as a kid at 6 baht.

6 baht and 4 sodas..... good deal McNeal

g

[NancyL]

The 4th of July Party at River Market is a great value -- all you eat Duke's buffet, complete with pizza. Thai food, of course, four beers or two wines. Fireworks, band, organized games for the kids. Starts at 3 pm.

This year the Chiang Mai Expats Club is one of the sponsors and CEC members will receive a 200 baht discount if they purchase tickets at this Saturday's CEC meeting at Le Meridien Hotel -- arrive at 10 am for 10:30 am start for the meeting. Fourth of July party tickets will be available before and after the CEC meeting, discounted 200 baht for CEC members only.

Edited June 23, 2014 by NancyL

[Rice_King]

[OneZero]

Flyer states that the 1200 THB does not include 7% VAT and 10% Service charge.

So what is the bottom line cost? Is it as follows (THB):

1200 + 84(7%) + 120(10%) = 1404 THB

[Mestizo]

The 4th of July Party at River Market is a great value -- all you eat Duke's buffet, complete with pizza. Thai food, of course, four beers or two wines. Fireworks, band, organized games for the kids. Starts at 3 pm.

This year the Chiang Mai Expats Club is one of the sponsors and CEC members will receive a 200 baht discount if they purchase tickets at this Saturday's CEC meeting at Le Meridien Hotel -- arrive at 10 am for 10:30 am start for the meeting. Fourth of July party tickets will be available before and after the CEC meeting, discounted 200 baht for CEC members only.

They also have excellent restroom facilities! (Sorry Nancy, couldn't resist!)

Kidding aside, I really enjoyed last year and am REALLY looking forward to this year's party! I booked a flight up to CNX for the party a cpl weeks ago and I made sure to purchase my ticket when I was there this past week. Can't wait!

-Mestizo

[theDukes]

Flyer states that the 1200 THB does not include 7% VAT and 10% Service charge.

So what is the bottom line cost? Is it as follows (THB):

1200 + 84(7%) + 120(10%) = 1404 THB

The flyer was wrong and they fixed most of them to take off the tax and service charge not included. It's 1200 Baht or if you are an Expat Club member you can buy them for 1000 Baht. As a side note we offered the same deal to ThaiVisa for its members. Haven't heard back from them at this point.

Lot's of things going on this year. 3 bands and an Elvis impersonator and a magician. There will be lots of organised kid's games run by the Chiang Mai Rotary with prizes , a great American style BBQ buffet with Siam Smoke House donating some great pickles, sauerkraut and salads, some drinks included, the American Craft Brew guys from Beervana will be there giving tastings of their beers, and a great fireworks display in part sponsored by Meals On Wheels, The Expat Club and Act Co. Printing. This year we have the VFW back running a raffle and there are lots of prizes including a 36" TV from Robinson and we are getting close to an iPhone 5s as a grand prize sponsored by CityLife, Chang Puak Magazine, Compass and Newspapers Direct. Lots of other hotels, spas and some of our suppliers giving us some door prizes to give away. Anyone need some mop buckets from Makro? How about a big frozen hunk of beef chuck from Jagota? Crazy the things people give you as prizes. More to come.

Just like last year the tickets will be limited so everyone can have a great time. Still plenty of tickets left, at this point, but they go fast in the last week or so so don't wait

Dave

[NancyL]

Oh yeah, how could I forget about the excellent restroom facilities at River Market. How silly of me.

Plus, on a more serious note, River Market is one of the best handicap-accessible restaurants I've seen in Chiang Mai. That's one reason CEC selected it for our twice-monthly Coffee Mornings (1st and 3rd Friday morning, except 4th of July)

[Greenside]

What's the definition of a kid for this event (other than a little creature that crawls around biting your ankles)? We have a 13 year old, one who is two and a baby under a year - is the 13 year old a full or half fare passenger and am I right in assuming the tiny ones are free?

Sounds like it will be another good do

[junglechef]

Hey Dave

What are you waiting for TV to get back to you with? Wouldn't be ok if I just mention I'm a TV member when I buy my ticket at one of your restaurants like another unnamed establishment (who might have posted above under a name that ryhmes with Bozo) does?

[northernjohn]

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Oh yeah, how could I forget about the excellent restroom facilities at River Market. How silly of me.

Plus, on a more serious note, River Market is one of the best handicap-accessible restaurants I've seen in Chiang Mai. That's one reason CEC selected it for our twice-monthly Coffee Mornings (1st and 3rd Friday morning, except 4th of July)

They also have handicap restrooms

Edited June 24, 2014 by onthedarkside
speculative comment removed

[JAFO]

Can someone offer up some info on the "Expat Club in CM". I am curious about it. Is there a website? You can PM if you prefer.

Thanks

[junglechef]

Anybody go to Rivermarket for the July 4th celebrations?

I was considering it but didn't make in part because all my American friends weren't going mainly due to their thinking that is was overpriced which was also came to my mind having a family with 4 members being old enough to have to pay (I assume toddlers were free) and the other 3 paying members of my bunch would have had one soda and one slice of pizza each one whom would have had to pay 1200 bht.

Also it would have been nice for Dave to get back to me on my question a few post above but that's another matter.

Was it fun and all you expected it to be? Did you feel it was worth the price? Plentiful food and easy enough to get your quota for aped for beer?

As I expect the normal Duke's groupies to be answering with their normal in Dave we trust answers I'm also looking for some less biased answers.

For the record I go to Dukes, Ragu and Market Village occasionally and really enjoyed the 2013 July 4th celebration at River Market and find Dave and his family hospitable and fine hosts.

[NancyL]

It was a great party! Truly a community event with many sponsors. The VFW did a great job organizing some fantastic donors and running a raffle. The band was good (for a bunch of non-Americans), the magicians entertaining, and the kids games fun for everyone to watch. Plenty of food, all the traditional favorites, with unexpected treats like several kinds of imported cheese.

Photos at CityNow http://www.city-now.com/comment.php?cid=599414&lang=English#rank599414 were taken early, before it got crowded. It really picked up around dusk -- 6:30 - 7 pm. That's when the kids started to get into the games organized by the new CM International Rotary Club. More photos from their FB page https://www.facebook.com/chiangmairotaryinternational

I think it was a great value for the money!

Edited July 5, 2014 by NancyL

[northernjohn]

Being as I am a paying member of the expat club I got in for 1,000 baht and the wife for 1,000 baht. I am a Dave fan but have to admit I was not that impressed with the food. There I go playing junglechef. However there was no lack of food. Being a non drinker I had plenty of Coke. There how ever was lot's of it. The band was excellent the kids seemed to enjoy the games that were run by the rotary club and I got to meet some new people. The wife really enjoyed it because a lot of her friends were there and they had rice. She also enjoyed the ribs. She is a picky eater when it comes to western food.

I noticed some of the people really enjoyed the specialty beer. Over all it was well worth it as it is some thing I only do once a year. The fire works were very nice. I think last years had been better but they were still very good.

Bottom line it was worth it.

I think being a paying member of the expat club which has some association with the river market is the reason for the money break ojn the price. I notice River Market is not one of the TV sponsors. There fore no association with TV.

edit

the VHF and the Rotary club are associated with the River Market and I believe they got a break on the price also. I met one fellow who said that a friend in the VFW had got him a ticket for 1,000 baht.

Edited July 5, 2014 by northernjohn

[daoyai]

I cheated and went to the Bus bar (159 for 4 jugs of Chang sot )... The band sounded good and the fireworks were exiting as flaming bits occasionally landed near. The crowd at R.M. seemed a bit sparce to me.

[jobin]

Newbie here, my first time at RM. First thing chose an Oregon beer and lost two clips on the beer stub, and then the girl showed me the fine print about 'better beer costs more'. Oh well. Food monstrously ample, as were many of the diners. I would never pay that price for a meal, but thought something else might be happening. I was especially keen to meet new folks but considering the loudness of the music about all i could do was watch my neighbor, Real interaction was difficult. Some were of course on their devices (Free WiFi) and had no need for humanity The VFW had prizes but not one interested me so i could not buy. No complaint on the food quality or variety. Bottom line for me was too loud all evening and the wait for the BigShow, the fireworks finale, too long. Hanging around from 4 to 8 pm and eating non-stop is not good for me.

IMO, this affair could have benefited from eg, pool (snooker) tourney, darts, scrabble room, etc. Some kind of adult thing for socializing. I would have enjoyed a horseshoe pitch on the lawn.

[NancyL]

Yes, the music was a little loud. Believe it or not, the sound level was after sound checks and lower than what they had originally planned. The second band, with Thai guys playing Elvis, Beatles was definitely louder than the western guys and the music the magicians used was definitely too loud, especially considering the kids were standing right in front of him.

Hmm, Jobin. Ya got me thinking about the games. The Rotary club organized the kids games. Maybe next year the Expats Club needs to organize the adult games. No, not those type of "adult" games. I'm thinking horseshoes, scrabble, checkers, darts, maybe a dunk tank to raise money for charity. Who wouldn't pay 100 baht for a chance to dunk David Dukes?

Edited July 5, 2014 by NancyL

[beau thai]

Anybody go to Rivermarket for the July 4th celebrations?

I was considering it but didn't make in part because all my American friends weren't going mainly due to their thinking that is was overpriced which was also came to my mind having a family with 4 members being old enough to have to pay (I assume toddlers were free) and the other 3 paying members of my bunch would have had one soda and one slice of pizza each one whom would have had to pay 1200 bht.

Also it would have been nice for Dave to get back to me on my question a few post above but that's another matter.

Was it fun and all you expected it to be? Did you feel it was worth the price? Plentiful food and easy enough to get your quota for aped for beer?

As I expect the normal Duke's groupies to be answering with their normal in Dave we trust answers I'm also looking for some less biased answers.

For the record I go to Dukes, Ragu and Market Village occasionally and really enjoyed the 2013 July 4th celebration at River Market and find Dave and his family hospitable and fine hosts.

Went to Ragu instead to partake Dave's hospitality. After 8pm we were the only people on board. So a nice quiet evening with friends.

Food was good although because we all get so used to eating out for less, the bill at Dave's always seems a lot - but of course it isnt really,. for what you get!