The Colors of the East street fair kicks off Feb. 26 with lots of flowers, a parade and plenty of traffic detours.
Themed “Flowers of the Beach,” the Feb. 26-March 1 festival is aimed at promoting tourism for the eastern provinces of Chonburi, Rayong, Trat and Chantaburi.
Chonburi organizer Tawatchai Seethong and Tourism Authority of Thailand Pattaya Director Suladda Sarutilavan on Feb. 16 announced final details for the fair.
A map showing where roads are closured.
Among the plans outlined was the announcement that Pattaya Beach Road will be closed to traffic and all connected side streets blocked, beginning at Central Pattaya Road (only the left hand lane) to Soi 13/4, from 17:00 – 00:00 during the 4-day festival.
Each year’s fair always brings massive traffic problems, which authorities thought could be solved by moving it to Jomtien Beach in 2013. But the festival floundered in that location, prompting the return to Pattaya last year.
The event features 200 booths selling food, locally made goods, tourist souvenirs and other inexpensive merchandise.
The festival also will feature a contest, offering more than 200,000 baht in prizes, for dresses made of flowers. All of Beach Road will be decorated with all types of flowers intended as backdrops for tourist photos. A parade will open the event Feb. 26 at 5 p.m.
Tawatchai said as tourism in the region grows, all sectors are working together to support and bring in more tourists. “The Colors of the East festival denotes the strong cooperation of the region aiming to publicize the products and attractions of the eastern provinces for both Thai and foreign tourists in an effort to maintain the existing tourist base while inviting more new visitors,” he said.
Colors of the East also features concerts from Kangsom of “The Star” TV show, Lula, Season Four, and Biw Kanlayanee. There will be cultural performances, lucky draws for shoppers buying 3,000 baht or more in merchandise, free Flowers on the Beach t-shirts, and gifts of small plants for photographers posting their pictures on social media with the hashtag “#ColorsOfTheEast”.
