The best things to do in Chiang Mai this weekend (Oct 30-Nov 2)

Central makes food spooky with a Halloween special of ghoulish gourmet food and frightfully fun entertainment – the current mourning period considered. The theme? Trick or Eat – with each vendor offering up a little something out of the ordinary alongside their great food and drink offerings. Over 100 dishes will be available to try from city-favourite vendors like Muan Toey, Wonderfries, Airy Corndog and more. Plus a whole ton of spooky specials, stage performances and eerie encounters with Kuman Thong and Thao Wessuwan – each said to bring luck, and maybe a few goosebumps. Show up in full Thai ghost gear to score discount vouchers across the board. 

Oct 29-Nov 2. Free. Central Chiangmai. 3pm onwards.

Watch out for zombies around the Huay Kaew junction this weekend as One Nimman kicks off its exceptionally spooky Halloween event extra early. Spooky Toyland returns with a family-friendly (although, beware of jump scares) world of food, candy, costumes and culturally appropriate halloween frenzies. Let your little skeletons go trick or treating, with special treats hidden around the venue while bigger spirits can get into the season with playful photo ops, great food and pint-sized servings of boozy drinks. Floating eyeballs optional. 

Oct 28-Nov 2. Free entry. One Nimman. From 10am daily.

Forget Halloween! By Sunday, Chiang Mai’s creative spirit retakes centre stage as painters, potters, photographers, sound artists and dreamers of every kind collide at Lansieow. This utterly local art gathering is open to all, giving you a platform to admire, create and connect – whether you’re showcasing your own work or just soaking up the inspiration. From live performances, interactive art installations, workshops and plenty of creative chaos, there’s lots to do here that’s absolutely pumpkin-free. And, with a special art area curated by Gaia Beats Festival, there’s no better time to test the waters and snag an early-bird ticket for the fest if you like what you see. 

Nov 2. Free. Lansieow Freeative Art Space. 12pm-10pm.

Ghosts, ghouls and good vibes collide as Scoof’s feel-good music night returns, this time with a healthy Halloween twist. Submit yourself to a three-hour juicing sesh, with unlimited fresh fruit served every which way, live tunes and wholesome food to balance all that spooky goodness. It’s a haunt for health-conscious party spirits, all about real good food, drink and healthy returns. Space is limited, so turn up early before the ghosts beat you to it.

Oct 31. Free. Scoof. 5.30pm-late.

The biggest pet fair of Chiang Mai is back again this year with more booths, more animals and more festivities than ever before. As Central Airport transforms its halls into a jamboree for all sorts of jumping critters, pet parents may get overwhelmed by just how many top brands, discounts and freebies there are available to snag. Top brands bring home their bestsellers while local groups organise adoption rallies and pet-centric fashion shows throughout the weekend. This year, the theme is ‘Sunflowers’ – so dressing your pup up in his best petaled ruff may just win you a prize. 

Oct 30-Nov 2. Free. Central Chiang Mai Airport. 10am-9pm.

Locked In and SOTU join forces for a fully immersive Halloween weekend takeover split across two venues – Deep Green and Liquid Room. Pumping out world-class sound, expect an eerie production in theme with the season and join a crowd that’s anything but ordinary. Things kick off under the stars at Deep Green (5pm-midnight) before moving indoors for an after-dark descent into the Liquid Room (midnight-4am). UK garage and bass heavyweight Ke-Yen headlines the night, bringing his high-energy sets and signature blends straight from stages like Outlook Festival, Printworks and FabricLive. With two headline acts, a full-size pool, and beats ‘til sunrise, this is one night where the beats might just raise the dead.

Oct 31. B400 online here, B500 at the door. Deep Green & Liquid Room. 5pm-4am.

Nimman turns into a nightmare as Think Park Shibuya raises a full-on haunted amusement park for Halloween week. Explore five spooky fun zones, from the Blood Zone (a chillingly chic hangout) to the Horrifying Haunted House. Snack your way through the Food Zone (where everything’s ‘scarily delicious’ – their words not ours), or ride viking ships, bulls and carousels in the Toy Zone. With live activities, eerie lighting and thrills for all ages, this first-ever Halloween takeover of Think Park is set to be a scream – literally.

Oct 24-31. Free. Think Park Shibuya. 5pm-midnight.

What if your identity wasn’t based on what you buy – but what you grow, share and co-create? That’s the guiding question behind this immersive course, hosted jointly by the Pun Pun community in Mae Taeng and the indigenous P’gakenyoa people of Hin Lad Nai, Chiang Rai. Across two sacred sites, explore what it means to reconnect with the land, the self and each other through ancestral practices, community rituals and ecological living.  This in-depth course offers hands-on learning for topics such as seed saving, wild foraging, traditional farming, organic cooking and even forest beekeeping. A rare collaboration between two inspiring communities offers a chance to slow down, go deep and reimagine what natural life could be.

June 6-11 and Nov 2-7. B12,000, email punpuncourses@gmail.com for registration. Pun Pun Organic Farm and Learning Centre.