Phetchaburi Harmony Puppet Festival 2025

Phetchaburi: City of Puppetry – Phetchaburi Harmony Puppet Festival 2025

May 2–4, 2025 – Experience three days of festivities, three unique flavors at the world-class puppet arts festival in Phetchaburi, Thailand! Celebrate the recognition of the Phetchaburi Harmony Puppet Festival 2025, honored with the Asia Local and Traditional Art Festival Tangible Heritage Award from the International Festivals and Events Association Asia (IFEA Asia). This prestigious award marks a significant step forward for Thailand’s soft power strategy and affirms Phetchaburi’s unique cultural identity on the global stage.

The Phetchaburi Harmony Puppet Festival 2025 is rooted in the revival of the Nang Yai (large shadow puppetry) tradition at Wat Plubplachai, a temple founded in the late Ayutthaya period. This ancient art form was once performed in the presence of King Chulalongkorn (Rama V) at Phra Ram Ratchaniwet (Ban Puen Palace), built during his royal visit to Phetchaburi.

This year, the festival will be staged in the grandeur of a royal celebration, featuring elegant Nang Yai performances before the royal pavilion

The event also honors Nang Talung, the southern-style small shadow puppetry that laid the foundation for Phetchaburi’s local puppet tradition and Artist from South of Thailand . The city welcomes legendary puppet masters (Nai Nang) from southern Thailand, making this a true gathering of Thailand’s shadow puppet elite. This year, 37 puppet troupes will perform over three nights on Damrongrak Road, an iconic and artistically renovated street adorned with vivid street art, transforming into a stage of living cultural heritage.

May 2–4, 2025 – Discover the beauty of Thai and international puppet arts in Phetchaburi, Thailand, at the Phetchaburi Harmony Puppet Festival 2025!