Bun Bang Fai rocket festival 2027: Dates (May 14 to 16) and Fares

When is Bun Bang Fai rocket festival 2027?

Bun Bang Fai rocket festival 2027 is expected to run May 14 to 16, 2027. The dates follow the usual pattern and are not announced yet.

2027May 14 to 16, 2027Expected

How the dates are set: Second weekend of May, Friday to Sunday, in the sixth Isan lunar month.

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Bun Bang Fai rocket festival schedule

Friday (day one): People gather in the afternoon at Phaya Thaen Public Park. Near the giant toad museum, students from different districts perform traditional music and dance, and near the large Naga the rockets are lavishly decorated and put on display.
Saturday (day two): A parade runs through the center of town. In 2026 it started at 4 PM, and groups performed choreographed dances for judges.
Sunday (day three): Rockets start launching around 9 AM and go into the afternoon, at a launch site not far from Phaya Thaen Public Park.

Source: itsbetterinthailand.com

Getting to Bun Bang Fai rocket festival

The easiest way to reach Yasothon is to fly from Bangkok to Ubon Ratchathani or Roi Et. Either city is about an hour and a half from Yasothon by minibus or private taxi.
Every part of the festival takes place in the center of Yasothon city or in a park on its outskirts.

Source: itsbetterinthailand.com

Where to stay in Yasothon

There are not many hotels in Yasothon and it is the town's most popular event of the year, so book early. The JP Emerald Hotel is closest to the center of town, and RP City Hotel is closest to the park where the rockets are launched.

Source: itsbetterinthailand.com

Tickets and cost

In 2026 the Saturday parade had bleacher seating for a small fee, and arriving early got a shaded seat.

Source: itsbetterinthailand.com

History of Bun Bang Fai rocket festival

Bun Bang Fai is a merit-making ceremony held in Northeastern Thailand and Laos at the start of the wet season, in the sixth lunar month. Early European explorers recorded rocket festivals in Laos in the 1800s. Rockets are judged on how high and far they fly, and the builders of failed rockets are thrown in a muddy pond.

Source: en.wikipedia.org

Bun Bang Fai rocket festival: questions people ask

When is the Bun Bang Fai Rocket Festival in Yasothon?

It usually takes place on the Friday, Saturday and Sunday of a weekend in mid-May. In 2026 it ran May 8 to 10.

Where is the Yasothon rocket festival held?

In the center of Yasothon city and at Phaya Thaen Public Park on its outskirts.

What time do the rockets launch at Yasothon?

Launching starts around 9 AM on Sunday and continues into the afternoon.

What happens when a rocket fails to launch?

The team is thrown into a mud pit prepared for the occasion.

Why do people launch rockets at Bun Bang Fai?

It is a plea for rain. People fire homemade rockets skyward for a good monsoon season before the crops are planted.

Is it safe to stand close to the rocket launches?

Signs mark a danger zone you cannot enter. While teams set up, visitors can get close for photos, but should clear out when everyone else does.

Sources: itsbetterinthailand.com, holidify.com

About Bun Bang Fai rocket festival

Villagers launch homemade rockets skyward to plead with the heavens for rain.

Bun Bang Fai is an Isan tradition where communities build and fire large bamboo rockets into the sky ahead of the rice planting season, accompanied by parades, music and dancing. The festival's peak launch days fall in mid May in many towns, but Yasothon's version is typically held in the second weekend of May, with related merit-making rites starting in April. It is boisterous, homemade and unmistakably rural Thai.

Know before you go

Exact dates are announced yearly by local authorities, confirm before booking.
Accommodation in Yasothon is limited, consider basing in Ubon Ratchathani.
Fly into Ubon Ratchathani then drive about 2 hours to Yasothon, or connect via Bangkok.

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