Last April we hosted our first Songkran celebration with traditional food, live music, and a whole lot of water. Here's a look back at the night.
Songkran is the Thai New Year, celebrated every April 13th. In Thailand it's marked by a nationwide water festival. The idea is that water washes away the bad luck and misfortune of the previous year. It is also, if we're being honest, a reason to drench strangers in the street and call it spiritual.
Our first celebration
We had been open for about three months when April 13th arrived. We decided last minute to close the dining room for a private event and set up outside. We got permission to close off the small parking area next to the building and hung lanterns. The kitchen made food for about 120 people, a mix of regular guests, friends of the team, and members of the Thai community in the SGV who had heard about us through word of mouth.
The menu was all finger food: miang kham, grilled skewers, rice paper rolls, tod mun pla fish cakes, and a large pot of khao tom, congee, that stayed on a burner all night for anyone who needed something gentle and warm.
The music
A friend of Wit's, a musician who splits his time between Bangkok and Silver Lake, played acoustic guitar and sang. He did traditional songs and then, after 10 PM, something closer to Thai indie pop. Nobody left early.
There was a water blessing ceremony at sunset. Guests could pour water over the hands of the staff as a gesture of respect and renewal. It was quiet and sincere and nothing like the full Songkran experience in Bangkok, but it felt like ours.
Next year
We're planning the 2025 Songkran event now. It will be bigger. We'll announce it in March. If you want to be on the list, reach out through our contact page.
