What are festivals/events happening in Bangkok between April 20-May 12?

The main thing to note is that Songkran, the Thai New Year water festival, runs from April 13-15, so you'll just miss the peak chaos. That said, the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre (BACC) around Pathumwan usually has rotating exhibitions that run through late April and May, often free to browse. For food, check if there's a "Bangkok Street Food Festival" happening at CentralWorld or along Ratchadamri Road, they tend to pop up around that time and feature local chefs alongside classic stalls. Music-wise, you might catch smaller live gigs at places like Jam Cafe or The Overstay in Ekkamai, but there's no major festival like Wonderfruit during your dates.

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since you're into art and food, definitely check out river city bangok's 'river festival' which sometimes runs into late april, they have gallery hopping and pop-up food stalls along the pier. for a more local music scene, charoenkrung road has a few warehouse spaces doing live bands on weekends, especially around talad noi. if you're around on a saturday, the bangkok art and culture centre on phayathai often has free workshops or talks in the afternoon, just walk in and see what's posted

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songkran is definitely the big one and you just miss the peak but the city still has a celebratory vibe that week, with some neighborhoods doing smaller water fights into the 20th. for art, warehouse30 at charoenkrung has a rotating gallery space and a solid cafe, usually quiet on weekdays if you want to browse without crowds. for food, the 'krungthep lhong 143' market along the old city moat tends to pop up on weekends with vintage finds and local food stalls, it's a bit more curated than the usual night market

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Krua Dok Mai Kao is solid but I've always found their som tam a bit tame on the pla ra. If you want the real funky version, try the shophouse spots along Soi Udomsuk 26, near the night market end. They pound it fresh with fermented fish that'll clear your sinuses, and it's like 60 baht. Different style from the On Nut places, more Lao-leaning.

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for som tam specifically i'd say the Isaan spots in Chatuchak are underrated, weekdays only though since the weekend crowd ruins the vibe. there's a stall near gate 2 that does tam pa with fermented bamboo shoots, super sour and funky, not something you see much in On Nut. if you're already heading north for Or Tor Kor anyway its worth the detour.

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honestly the som tam at Krua Dok Mai Kao is good but what got me hooked is their nam prik pla raa dip with the raw veggies, that funk hits way harder than the papaya does. think most people sleep on it cuz they just order the som tam and gai yang. also pro tip, go before noon on weekdays, after that teh pla ra gets milder cuz they batch it for the lunch rush

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