GreenBkk.com Tourism | 9th DON LUANG COTTON FAIR

9th DON LUANG COTTON FAIR

April 1 – 5, 2011/ 09.00-23.00

At Don Luang Village (Baan Don Luang), Mae Raeng Sub-District, Pha Sang District, Lamphun province

The Pha Sang District of Lamphun province in Northern Thailand is home to a village noted for its fine handwoven cotton fabrics. The village of Don Luang, a major cotton producer, is the birthplace of Lamphun’s famous handwoven textile cottage industry.

Legend has it that the residents of Don Luang village migrated from the Burmese town of Yong and settled in Pha Sang district. The villagers hand-weave cotton strands into items for daily use. The village steadily grew from a few homes into an entire weaving community.

The residents of Don Luang take great pride in their cultural heritage and continue to preserve ancient customs and traditions, especially their indigenous art and expertise in handcrafted cotton textiles. The techniques and skills are carefully preserved and have been handed down from generation to generation over a period of some 200 years until today.

Over time, designs, motifs and patterns have evolved as the weaver experiment with more contemporary design creations to keep their handwoven cotton crafts changing with the times and sporting a vibrant, contemporary look and feel.

The range of cotton crafts produced by Don Luang village include clothes, pillow cases, table cloths, curtains, as well as other souvenir and gift items handcrafted from cotton fabrics.

Not only are these items sold locally throughout Thailand, they are also exported. All of these items will be on display and made available for sale at the annual Don Luang cotton fair.

The 9th Don Luang Cotton Fair 2011 is being jointly organized by the Lamphun Provincial Administrative Organization and the Mae Raeng Sub-District Administrative Organization, April 1-5, 2011, from 09.00-23.00 hrs.

Highlights of the Don Luang Cotton Fair

- The opening ceremony on April 1 starts at 17.00 hrs.

- Shop for handwoven cotton products and souvenirs

- Enjoy a colourful Light-and-Sound presentation and delightful Yong folk art and culture, folk performances and songs, a Sabatchai Victory Drum performance, fon fingernail dance.

- Feast on a Yong-style khantoke dinner set

The Tourism Authority of Thailand Chiang Mai office and provincial authorities invite visitors to discover the charms of this ancient weaving community, enjoy their exquisite crafts, and experience the local culture and way of life.

Don Luang village is in the sub-district of Mae Raeng in the Pha Sang District of Lamphun Province.

Contact information:

TAT Chiang Mai

Tel: +66 (0) 5324 8604, (0) 5324 8607 daily from 08.30-16.30 hrs

TAT Call Centre: Tel. 1672 from 08.00-20.00 hrs.

Credit: Tourism Authority of Thailand (www.tourismthailand.org)