More than 3,000 participants and 20 elaborate floats will form the centrepiece of the festivities, winding their way from Ratsada Rd along Phuket Rd, passing Surin Circle and the Phuket Tin Mining Monument, and ending at Saphan Hin Cape ‒ where the night will conclude with a fireworks display. The parade will run from 4pm to 6pm.
This year’s festival, themed ‘Phuket City Festival to The World’, aims to promote the island’s rich Baba-Nyonya (Peranakan) heritage and position Phuket as a global cultural destination. It also seeks to strengthen ties within the Old Town community and across ASEAN, organisers said.
Festivities officially began today (June 20) with a high-profile launch event and a series of seminars at the Pearl Hotel in Phuket Town.
Vice Governor Suwit Phansengiam presided over the event alongside Rewat Areerob, President of the Phuket Provincial Administrative Organisation (PPAO), and prominent Peranakan figures Anchalee Vanich-Thepbutr and Dr Kosol Tang-Uthai.
International perspectives on festival development were shared by Prof Gang Hoan Jeong, President of the Asia branch of the International Festivals & Events Association (IFEA), who spoke on engaging city festivals with the global stage. Other speakers included Pattanachai Singhawara of the Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) and Boonperm Intanapasat of the Thai IFEA branch.
A regional cultural workshop also brought together representatives from Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand to discuss sustainable development of contemporary Peranakan culture. The seminar series concluded with a session on transforming Peranakan identity into a globally recognised brand.
RECORD NOODLE
The festival continues on Sunday (June 22) with a Guinness World Record attempt to create the largest-ever serving of ‘Phuket Hokkien Noodles’. More than 200 local chefs, restaurants and community organisations are expected to join forces in the culinary feat, aimed at showcasing Phuket’s iconic dish on the world stage.
The noodle challenge is part of a broader initiative themed ‘Island of Artistic’’ promoting Phuket as a festival destination ahead of the upcoming Thailand Biennale Phuket 2025 festival.
The campaign forms part of the national ‘Festival Economy 2025’ strategy, under the ‘Arts and Culture Festival for Tourism and Economic Promotion’ initiative.
The festival is a collaborative effort between the Phuket Provincial Office, PPAO, the Thai International Festival and Events Promotion Association (TIEFA), and the Peranakan Association of Thailand.
Organisers hope the event will stimulate sustainable tourism and drive economic growth for local communities while celebrating Phuket’s unique cultural identity.