Hua Hin's largest shopping center holds the first flower fair of its kind.

Hua Hin's major shopping mall, Hua Hin Market Village, holds the Hua Hin Leelavadee Festival from August 1 st-14th, making the first exhibition for popular flower Leelawadee yet to be held in Thailand.

"At the first place we planned to feature both orchids and Leelawadee in this event. However, since orchids are already quite ubiquitous, we ended up opting for Leelawadee alone. This festival is Thailand's first Leelawadee exhibition ever.

The dimensions of Leelawadee go beyond its beauty. Hua Hin is renowned for spas and rejuvenation tourism. Widely used as the symbol by these businesses, which make a significant face of Hua Hin, Leelawadee practically represents our town. The Hua Hin Leelawadee Festival celebrates this outstanding symbol of Hua Hin." says Hua Hin Market Village General Manager Yanyong Kanhawattana.

Leelawadee is the Thai title for Plumeria, a tropical flower widely used by resorts and spas in Hua Hin as an icon representing the warm hospitality, the authenticity and the delicacy.

Many experts believe there are more than ten thousand varieties of Leelawadee worldwide. In Thailand, due to growers' incessant endeavor to develop new varieties, cross-breeding so far has given birth to multi-thousand varieties to thrill flora fans with. Ever growing and still counting, a number of varieties remain untitled today.

The Hua Hin Leelawadee Festival scouts more than one hundred varieties of Leelawadee from the Central Thailand and the Northeast. The array of varieties includes a few untitled ones. Leelawadee naturally has five-flower clusters in pink, yellow and white. But at this fair visitors should bargain for such unusual traits as six-flower clusters and indigo petals.

Gathering this large number of Leelavadee varieties into one place presents the fair organizer with difficulties. Being yet the first Leelawadee fair, the concept appears unfamiliar to many growers, hence theire refusal to attend to their plants on the fairground. The organizer, thus, invented a new approach that allows both parties to meet halfway—renting.

Blooming Leelawadee plants are rented to be displayed at the event. The exhibition initially was not meant for commercial objectives. However, since the magnificent exhibits turned out to not only draw in artistic attention, but also a great number of purchase demands, Leelavadee plants at the fair are now on sale at 180-3000 baht.

Aside from the plants on display, visitors may as well seek the off-list varieties. The fair coordinators assist interested visitors in establishing the contact with Leelawadee growers.

Growers that supply the plants to the fair also export their produce to Leelavadee's major world markets— Hawaii, Australia and Japan .

"It is going to be worth it. This is the only opportunity of the year that allows flower lovers to find more than one hundred varieties of Leelawadee from across the country in one single place.

Looking at the spectacular feedback we've received so far, it is very likely that this will be added to the Market Village's annual calendar. And, of course, it will be organized in a larger scale. We plan on featuring a giant Leelawadee plant next year." says Yanyong.

Aside from the plants coming in pots, the beauty of Leelawadee is also presented on canvas. Leelawadee paintings are on display alongside the real plants as the contributions of artists from Baan Silapin, Hua Hin's well-know gallery, to the fair.

On Saturday 4th August, visitors are entertained with Leelawadee fashion show, live music performance and cooking show. Asst.Prof.Dr.Wattana Na Songkla and Hua Hin Mayor Sirapun Kamolpramote demonstrate how to prepare dished featuring Leelawadee flowers and make wine with rose extract.