Phuket Shines Globally with Two Prestigious Festival Awards

The year 2024 has truly been a golden year for Phuket, marking a historic achievement as the destination proudly secured two prestigious accolades at the 2024 IFEA/Haas & Wilkerson Pinnacle Awards, organised by the International Festivals & Events Association (IFEA) in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. The results were revealed on the morning of 30 September 2024 (Thailand time). 
The year 2024 has truly been a golden year for Phuket, marking a historic achievement as the destination proudly secured two prestigious accolades at the 2024 IFEA/Haas & Wilkerson Pinnacle Awards, organised by the International Festivals & Events Association (IFEA) in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. The results were revealed on the morning of 30 September 2024 (Thailand time). 
The award that fills the people of Phuket and the entire nation with pride is the “World Festival and Event City Award,” showcasing Phuket Province’s readiness to host world-class events and festivals. In addition, the “Phuket Vegetarian Festival” received the prestigious “Grand Pinnacle,” the highest award given by the IFEA, the premier association supporting and enabling festival and event professionals worldwide. This award is considered the Oscars of the event industry. 
Phuket: The 2024 IFEA World Festival & Event City 
Being recognised as the ‘World Festival and Event City’ does not simply mean that a city has the highest number of festivals or hosts the most entertaining ones. It signifies a deep appreciation of local traditions and culture, showcasing the city’s distinctive identity, all of which are gracefully expressed through its festivals. 
Thus, it is essential to reflect on the early 19th century, a time when Phuket’s prominence began to rise due to its thriving tin mining industry. This period of prosperity attracted many migrants, transforming Phuket into a key trading port and a rich cultural melting pot. The fusion of traditions is reflected in its Sino-European architecture, cuisine, and the ways of life, beliefs, and traditions of the Hokkien Chinese, Thai Buddhists, and Malays. 
However, a city cannot be considered a festival city without actual festivals taking place. The Phuket Vegetarian Festival is a prime example of this, as it beautifully showcases the island’s identity, bringing together diverse traditions, rituals, food, and, most importantly, fostering unity among the people of Phuket over nine days of spiritual celebration. 
“Phuket Vegetarian Festival” Wins Prestigious “Grand Pinnacle” Award 
Along with Phuket’s recognition as a World Festival and Event City, the Phuket Vegetarian Festival received the Grand Pinnacle Award from the same stage. The IFEA recognised the festival for meeting all specified criteria and requirements, standing out with its distinctive identity. 
Although the Vegetarian Festival is celebrated nationwide from the 1st to the 9th night of the waxing moon in the 9th lunar month, the Phuket Vegetarian Festival stands out with nine key highlights, making it a one-of-a-kind festival unlike any other in the world.
1. A Tradition Spanning Nearly 200 Years 
The Phuket Vegetarian Festival is believed to have originated nearly 200 years ago when a travelling Chinese opera troupe from mainland China performed for Hokkien Chinese tin miners in Kathu District, Phuket. Shortly after their arrival, some members fell ill, which was believed to be caused by their omission of the “Jia Chai” or vegetarian eating ritual. To atone and honour the Nine Emperor Gods, they abstained from meat and alcohol for nine days, from the 1st to the 9th night of the waxing moon, to purify their bodies and minds. Miraculously, the troupe recovered after the ritual, and this practice spread through the town, passed down through generations, eventually becoming the Phuket Vegetarian Festival we know today. 
2. Celebration of Rituals and Traditions 
The Vegetarian Festival is a time for purifying the body and mind through rituals and faith. It showcases cultural traditions reflecting the beliefs of the people of Phuket, passed down through generations. On the eve of the festival, a traditional Go-Teng pole-raising ceremony takes place at Chinese shrines, where nine lanterns are lit atop the poles for nine days. 
This is followed by the ‘Yew Keng Ceremony,’ or street procession, in which over 40 shrines carry statues of deities on decorated deity sedan chairs throughout the city, blessing those along the way. Residents also set up altars in front of their homes to receive blessings. Last year, more than 37,000 people participated in the procession, and the streets were packed with crowds awaiting its arrival. 
In this procession, spirit mediums in traditional costumes act as servants of the deities, piercing their bodies with weapons, knives, swords, or needles to take on misfortune for those observing the vegetarian ritual. They also bestow blessings upon devotees for good fortune. 
The magnificent street procession from over 40 shrines, with decorated deity sedan chairs, spirit mediums performing sacred rituals, and 40,000 participants, captures the essence of the island’s unique cultural heritage. 
The next ritual is the ‘Koi Hoi’ or Fire Walking Ceremony, which cleanses negative energy from the body. Devotees walk across a bridge, allowing spirit mediums to expel evil forces, concluding with an imperial seal stamped on the backs of their shirts. The Farewell Ritual then follows, sending off Kew Ong Tai Tay and other deities as they return to heaven. This includes a procession of deity sedan chairs towards the Go-Teng poles. Along the route, devotees set up altars and light firecrackers to celebrate, completing the ceremony. 
3. Unite Generations, Unite Hearts
The Vegetarian Festival is the largest celebration for the people of Phuket, taking place once a year and lasting up to nine days. This festival brings together all generations to celebrate, collaborate, and reconnect with the city.
Starting three days before the festival, residents and various government and private organisations in Phuket join forces to clean the shrines and prepare the venues. During the festival, Phuket residents utilise their skills and abilities as volunteers. More than 630 individuals assist in promoting the event, while over 37,700 participants engage in various rituals and processions. This includes over 1,600 volunteers in shrine kitchens and over 300 people in the city’s cleaning units. 
4. Beyond its Beaches, Phuket is a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy 
Phuket is recognised as a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy, celebrating its outstanding and diverse culinary heritage and its commitment to preserving and promoting local cuisine internationally. During the Phuket Vegetarian Festival, travellers can savour local flavours through a variety of vegetarian dishes, including both authentic and fusion styles that blend Chinese, Hokkien, Thai, and Malay influences. Chefs from Michelin-starred restaurants craft innovative vegetarian dishes, transforming traditional ingredients into exceptional meals that nourish both body and mind.
Throughout the nine days of the festival, Phuket-style vegetarian food is available across the island, from Michelin-starred restaurants and shrine kitchens to popular street food spots, inviting everyone to partake in the festival and enjoy the unique flavours of Phuket. 
5. Accessible Ceremonies for All 
The Phuket Vegetarian Festival is made accessible to all, with over 40 shrines across Phuket participating in the street processions. Each shrine has its own procession routes that vary each day. Participants in the processions can experience Phuket’s rich cultural heritage while passing through the vibrant atmosphere of the old town, including the charming Sino-Portuguese buildings.
Devotees, residents, and visitors looking to join the ceremonies—whether for the summoning of deities at the start or the sending-off at the end—can gather or set up altars along the procession routes. Participation is encouraged from convenient locations to help reduce crowding and traffic. 
6. Vegetarian Festival for the Planet 
The Phuket Vegetarian Festival spans over nine days. During this time, Phuket Town is filled with traces of rituals and ceremonies that require management to keep the city clean afterwards.
In terms of food and containers, Phuket City recognises the need for early planning to reduce plastic use and promote eco-friendly materials. This is evident in the shrine kitchens, where devotees observing vegetarian rituals are encouraged to bring their own containers for takeout, with eco-friendly packaging available if needed. Additionally, those dining at the shrine can help the city by serving themselves appropriate portions to minimise food waste. Meanwhile, food and vegetable scraps are converted into bio-fertiliser and animal feed. Following the principles of a circular economy and sustainability, Phuket City focuses on separating organic and plastic waste for proper recycling, benefiting the local agricultural sector, reducing landfill waste, and lowering carbon dioxide emissions during the festival. 
7. Great Tradition & Rapid Restoration 
In addition to managing food waste, another mission is to restore the town after the festival ends. Throughout the festival, the city is adorned with numerous lanterns, flags, and other decorations. To optimise resource utilisation, these items are reused annually.
Furthermore, Phuket City prioritises reducing the number of incense burners and oil bottles while ensuring that smoke detectors are used in the shrines to reduce smoke and minimise harmful air pollution. After the festival, over 300 volunteers work to restore roads and venues to quickly return them to normalcy. 
8. Observing the Vegetarian Diet: Spiritual and Economic Benefits Besides
the opportunity to purify body and mind by observing a vegetarian diet for nine days, participating in the festival benefits the city as a whole. In 2023, over 650,000 people attended the Phuket Vegetarian Festival, generating 5.75 billion baht for the local economy and creating over 4,500 jobs for Phuket residents as tourism flourished during the festival. Consequently, it significantly stimulated the local economy, including hospitality, commerce, and transportation. 
9. Phuket: A ‘World Festival and Event City’ and ‘Grand Pinnacle’ Winner 
The ‘Phuket Vegetarian Festival’ exemplifies a Thai celebration that draws on cultural capital, blending traditions, beliefs, food, and architecture to showcase a local identity closely tied to the festival. The collective efforts of Phuket’s community helped the city earn the ‘World Festival and Event City’ and ‘Grand Pinnacle’ awards, which it richly deserves. This year, Phuket’s triumph in winning two major awards from the IFEA showcases its potential to leverage cultural capital through festivals to attract quality tourists, aligning with the Festival Economy policy to drive the local economy. Additionally, Phuket is poised to elevate the homegrown Phuket Vegetarian Festival into a flagship event, transforming the city into an international event destination. 
Join us in experiencing the ‘World Festival and Event City’ as we celebrate the Phuket Vegetarian Festival, a Grand Pinnacle Award winner, and enjoy the traditional ‘Street Procession’ from Thursday, 3 October 2024 to Friday, 11 October 2024, in Phuket, Thailand.