The Ubon Ratchathani Candle Festival 2026 is listed by the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) for 28 July to 2 August 2026. The listed venue is Thung Si Mueang, Ubon Ratchathani. The festival is one of the province’s best-known Buddhist-period cultural events, associated with the city’s large and intricately carved wax candles.
What is confirmed
- Dates: 28 July–2 August 2026.
- Location: Thung Si Mueang, Ubon Ratchathani.
- Official listing: The event appears in TAT’s July 2026 event calendar.
Thung Si Mueang is the location visitors should use as their primary reference point when making plans. However, a festival listing is not the same as a detailed day-by-day programme: individual displays, ceremonies and procession activity can use additional streets or sites in the city.
Festival highlights
The defining feature of Ubon Ratchathani’s festival is its elaborate wax-candle art. Local communities and makers create large sculptural candles, often with detailed traditional and Buddhist imagery. The event is also widely associated with a candle procession held around the beginning of Buddhist Lent.
For 2026, visitors should regard the candle artworks and the festival atmosphere at the listed venue as the central draw. Do not assume that a particular float, performance, contest, procession route or stage programme has been confirmed unless it is published by the organiser or local authorities.
What visitors should know before travelling
The listed dates include late July and continue into early August, so visitors should check the exact programme close to departure. In particular, confirm which day and time the main candle procession will take place if that is the part of the festival you most want to see.
- Confirm the daily opening times for candle displays and any official procession schedule.
- Check the procession route, road-management arrangements and suitable viewing areas once they are announced.
- Arrange accommodation and onward transport before travelling if your visit depends on a particular festival day.
- Ask organisers or local official channels about accessibility, parking and any admission or activity charges. TAT’s calendar listing does not provide these operational details.
- Recheck announcements shortly before travel, as weather, ceremonies and local traffic arrangements can affect programming.
What may change or still needs verification
As of 20 July 2026, the official TAT calendar confirms the event dates and the Thung Si Mueang location, but travellers should seek a current organiser programme for practical details. This includes the parade date and start time, route, participating candle groups, performances, transport arrangements, parking and any ticketed activities.
Visitors should also avoid relying on schedules from earlier editions. The festival follows a longstanding tradition, but the operational programme can differ from year to year.