The annual Songkran Festival will take place Sunday, April 14 in Silver Spring to celebrate traditional Thai New Year’s Day.
Festivities will take place from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 13440 Layhill Road and are hosted by Wat Thai Washington, D.C. The day is an opportunity to pay respect to and remember parents, relatives and teachers, according to the Songkran Festival’s website.
The festival features a variety of ceremonies, food stands and a parade. A full list of program events is listed below:
- 7 a.m. — Breakfast served to the monks
- 9 a.m. – Pouring of lustral water to honor the Buddha, followed by the opening of food and merchandise stands
- 10 a.m. – Religious ceremony
- 10:15 a.m. – Memorial service and a sermon by Abbot Luang Ta Chi
- 10:30 a.m. – Offering of food to the monks
- 11 a.m. – Lunch served to the monks
- 11:30 a.m. – Thai New Year Parade commences
- 12:30 p.m. – Pouring of water on the hands of revered elders and seeking their blessings, accompanied by performances of Thai classical dance, music, and a Thai traditional dress showcase by Miss Songkran
- 4 p.m. – Food and merchandise stands close
Parking is available at Barrie School and Glenmont Metro Station. Wat Thai Washington, D.C. will provide shuttle buses to pick up and drop off at the Metro station parking lot between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.
For more information, visit the event website.
Photo courtesy Wat Thai Washington, D.C.
