What is the name of the large New Year's Eve lantern festival held in Chiang Mai, Thailand?

The large New Year’s Eve lantern event held in Chiang Mai, Thailand, is commonly marketed as the Chiang Mai CAD New Year Countdown.

CAD refers to the Chiang Mai Air Sports Development and Training Center, a venue outside the city that has hosted large ticketed countdown events featuring lantern releases, cultural performances, food, and fireworks. Promotional names and event arrangements can vary between years.

Chiang Mai is also strongly associated with Yi Peng, a northern Thai lantern festival traditionally held around the full moon of the second lunar month. Yi Peng is often confused with New Year’s Eve events because both may feature illuminated sky lanterns.

Thailand’s official calendar follows the international New Year on January 1, while Songkran, the traditional Thai New Year, is celebrated in April. These are separate celebrations with different histories and customs.