In Amphoe Sak Lek, festivals tell of different aspects of local life: there are blessings and processions, competitions, and a food fair. Their dates also vary. Some take place in a set month, while others follow the lunar calendar or mark the end of Buddhist Lent.

Festivals and Customs in Amphoe Sak Lek

The annual Songkran festival takes place from April 13 to 16. The program includes blessing older people with water and traditional folk games. Its clearly defined dates and customs give the festival a distinctive place in the annual cycle.

Another annual event, held in March, is the festival “วันมะม่วงดัง มะปรางเด่น ของดีอำเภอสากเหล็ก”. It includes cooking competitions and traditional Muay Thai matches. Its program thus brings together different kinds of competitions, while Songkran focuses instead on blessings and folk games. Those choosing festivals by their programs can easily keep these differences in mind.

The annual Loy Krathong festival falls on the 15th day of the twelfth lunar month, around November. Events include a Krathong procession, a Krathong competition, and entertainment programs. The lunar calendar sets this date apart from festivals whose month is given according to the Gregorian calendar.

The end of Buddhist Lent is also the occasion for an annual boat race on Khlong Noen Sai. Eight communities compete, each with boats crewed by five rowers. The Buddhist candlelight procession, in turn, is organized by government agencies, communities, and schools. Thus, in Sak Lek, sporting competition and a religious custom supported by the community stand side by side, without requiring them to share an event date.

The Chinese shrine festival “งานงิ้วเจ้าพ่อสากเหล็ก เจ้าแม่ทับทิม” is also held every year in December. It includes a procession and a food fair. Together with the cooking competitions at the March festival, it makes food a recurring part of festival programs, while the events themselves have different names and forms.

More to Discover in the Wider Phichit Destination

The wider Phichit destination also includes historic sites. Pichit Old City Park preserves the site of the old city, with city walls, moats, ancient pagodas, and the Kanchanakuman Arboretum. The park is also home to the Phichit City Pillar Shrine and a statue of Phraya Khotabong, known locally as Pho Pu. Wat Mahathat in the old city of Phichit is a registered ancient monument built of brick, with a Ceylon-style stupa.

The Phichit Museum offers a different way to explore history: its subjects range from the local population’s way of life and traditional knowledge to ethnic groups, religion, beliefs, culture, and customs. Its focus is therefore on the lives and cultural traditions of Phichit’s people, while Old City Park draws attention to the preserved site and its structures.

The wider Phichit destination also showcases its landscapes and plant life. The Lotus Park south of Bueng Si Fai is a visitor and learning site for different lotus varieties. A bridge extends into the lake, allowing visitors to see red lotus flowers up close. The Princess Srinagarindra Garden at Bueng Si Fai is a 170-rai recreational park. Visitors often come to feed the fish and watch the sunset. The two places offer different experiences by the lake: lotus varieties are the focus at the park to the south, while feeding fish and the evening sky are among the activities described at the garden.

Discover more destinations: Sak Lek, Mueang Phichit District.

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