Sabaidee everyone, as is now tradition, here’s an evolving list of some of the Lao / Thai / Khmer New Year Festival events this 2026 season (in the Atlanta area and SE US mostly!).  As of this posting, the dates are correct to the best of my knowledge, but always do your own checking of the various social media sites to see if anything has been changed or updated. I’ll try to add the TBA ones as I come across more confirmed dates! (Updated: 4-14-2026)

Thanks everyone for following along all these years.  And thank you to the various folks that have finally credited me after using my photos. You’d be surprised how many still don’t realize I’m a professional photographer. 😭 Besides the photos that I’m in, yes I took ALL these photos.  High quality Images are still valuable in this day and age, so please value me and my work.  With all that housekeeping out of the way, here’s what you came to my site to find:

– LAO / THAI / KHMER New Year Festival Dates 2026 –

*Also, it would be very remiss of me not to mention that some if not many of these festivals could be compared to a “mardi gras” of sorts for our people and community.  I know the recent wave of interest due to the walk for peace and other events in the news are bringing newcomers into our little corner of the world, so it’s a bit hard to fully describe what to expect at these events.  There will be partying, there will be drinking and revelry.  And lots of noise and loud music. Welcome to LTC season! 🙂 *

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GEORGIA 🍑

April 11-12, 2026

Wat Lao Buddhamoongcoon (Lao New Year)

2325 Hillside Rd, Riverdale, GA 30296

📷 My Photos From 2025
📷 My Photos from 2024
📷 My Film (!) Photos From 2024

📷 My Photos from 2018

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April 18-19, 2026

Wat Lao Buddha Sattha Dhamma, Inc. (Lao New Year)

241 Buchanan Rd, Alto, GA 30510

📷 My Photos from 2023: Sat | Sun
📹 My Recap Video from 2023 

My Photos from 2018 | 2014 1 2

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April 25-26, 2026

Wat Lao Buddha Khanti (Lao New Year)

4052 Zoar Church Rd SW, Snellville, GA 30039

📷 My Photos from 2025: 1 Thak Baht | 2 Parade | 3 Festival

📷 My Photos from 2024: Sat | Sun

📷 My Photos from 2023: Sat | Sun
📹 My Video Recap from 2023

Bonus: My Photos from Walk for Peace: 1 | 2

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May 9-10, 2026

Wat Lao Buddharam Khambouneheuang (Lao New Year)

136 Hamby Mountain Park Dr, Baldwin, GA 30511

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May 2-3, 2026

Wat Lao Pothisaram (Lao New Year)

4443 E Conley Rd, Conley, GA 30288

📷 My Photos from 2024 | 2018 | 2014 | 2010

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TENNESSEE 🎸

April 17-18-19, 2026

Wat Lao Buddhapathip (Lao New Year)

104 Glenmont Dr. Nashville, TN 37210

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May 15-17, 2026

Wat Lao Xaoput Antioch (Lao New Year)

14101 Old Hickory Blvd, Antioch, TN 37013

 

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May 22-25, 2026
Memorial Day Weekend

Wat Lao Buddharam

5214 Old Nashville Hwy, Murfreesboro, TN 37129

The Largest Lao New Year celebration in the US I think!

📷 My Photos from 2025 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4

📷 My Photos from 2024 | from 2023
📹 My Recap Video from 2023

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LOUISIANA 🦞🦐

April 3-4-5, 2026

Louisiana Lao New Year Festival

Wat Thammarattanaram

7913 Champa Avenue Broussard, LA 70518

📷 My Photos from 2011!

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April 18-19, 2026

Songkran Festival
Thai Lao Cambodian New Year

Wat Phrathat Doi Suthep

320 Louisiana Blvd, SE, Albuquerque, NM 87108

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FLORIDA ☀️🍊🐊

April 4-5, 2026

Wat Phrasouk Buddhist Temple
16030 E. Secretariat Dr
Loxahatchee, FL 33470

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April 18-19, 2026

Wat Navaram (Lao New Year)

2381 Narcissus Ave, Sanford, FL 32771

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TBA, 2026
Wat Mongkolrataram of Florida
(Thai New Year Songkran)

5306 Palm River Rd, Tampa, FL 33619

 

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Khmer New Year

April 4-5, 2026

Wat Dhamma (Khmer New Year)

1138 Stagecoach Rd, Stockbridge, GA 3028

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April 4-5, 2026

Wat Tejavant (Khmer New Year)

7025 Bryce Rd, Riverdale, GA 30296

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April 11-12, 2026

Trairatanaram Temple (Khmer New Year)

5530 Riverdale Rd, Atlanta, GA 30349

📷 My Photos from 2023

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April 18-19, 2026

Cambodian Buddhist Temple of Georgia (Khmer New Year)

6533 Rock Springs Rd, Stonecrest, GA 30038

📷 My Photos from 2023 | 2022

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TBA, 2026

Wat Sovannkiri (Khmer New Year)

2864 Centerville Hwy, Snellville, GA 30078

📷 My Photos from 2023

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THAI NEW YEAR

April 12, 2026

Wat Buddha Bucha (Thai New Year Songkran)

3094 Rainbow Dr, Decatur, GA 30034

📷 My Photos from 2024 | 2022

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Other Festival Dates around the U.S.! Wish I could attend all of these.

March 27-29, 2026

Lao New Year

Wat Lao Santithammaram
3000 Kimbo Rd, Fort Worth, TX 7611

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April 4-5, 2026
California Center for the Arts
Escondido, CA 92025

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April 11-12, 2026
Cambodian New Year
Spartanburg Buddhist Center of South Carolina
770 Bryant Rd, Spartanburg, SC

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April 13-15, 2026
Wat Buddhapavana Las Vegas
2959 W. Gowan Rd, North Las Vegas, NV 89032

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April 18-19, 2026
Cambodian New Year
Lexington Cambodian Community Center of NC

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April 25, 2026
Wat Lao Buddhavong
3043 Catlett Rd, Catlett, VA 20119

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April 24-26, 2026
Songkran Festival Mega Night Market
10490 Gandy Blvd, St. Petersburg FL 33702

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April 25-26, 2026

Lao New Year
Wat Lao Saginaw, TX

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May 2-3, 2026

Wat Nikrodharam
931 Buffalo Shoals Rd
Lincolnton, NC 28092

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May 9, 2026

Wat Lao Buddhavihara
8035 Vina Ave, Irvington, AL 36544

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May 9-10, 2026
Granite Park
4000 Fresno, CA 93726

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May 16-17, 2026

Wat Lao Buddharam
Salt Lake City, UT

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May 22-24, 2026
Lao Buddhist Associates of Wichita

 

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