The Thailand Grand Festival returns to the lawns of the Darwin Waterfront with street food, a kickboxing match, a grand parade, and a concert.

NT Thai Association president Saramat Ruchkaew said the festival would showcase Thai culture and traditions through contemporary and traditional performances, a water blessing ceremony, water fights, the grand parade, the Thai cultural centre craft workshops and demonstrations, and the event would bring together the largest assembly of stalls in Darwin offering Thai street food.

The Man Ho Academy of Martial Arts will co-host the Thailand Grand Cup where visitors will be able to see some of the region’s best Muay Thai boxers Ms Ruchkaew.

The sufficiency economy-themed grand parade will be followed by a water blessing for good luck for all attendees, and the festival coincides with Songkran, the Thai New Year national holiday that sees people take to the streets of Thailand to battle it out with water pistols.

Ms Ruchkaew said visitors can be part of Darwin’s own water fight using water pistols, or any other containers, and can witness fruit carving demonstrations and photo opportunities wearing authentic Thai costumes.

There will be performances by local talent and Thai Dances Kid Club’s performances, and Ms Ruchkaew said this year’s festival would also feature traditional Thai instrumental musician and singer Keng Tachaya, who won 15 gold medals and five awards from the 20th World Championships of Performing Arts in Los Angeles in 2016.

She said the Thailand Grand Festival aimed to promote closer links between the people of Thailand and Australia through better knowledge and appreciation of each respective culture.

The event will be held on April 29 from 11 am to 10 pm, with free tickets available at the Evenbrite website.