After the devastating floods that deeply impacted daily life, restoring the city must go beyond repairing structures—it must also heal the people's spirits. For this reason, The City Connext and Hatyai Connext, together with community networks and supported by the Creative Economy Agency (CEA), transformed the heart of the city into the uplifting "Hug HeartYai" festival, a creative event to revive Hat Yai's spirit.
This festival is driven by the concept “Embrace - Adapt - Activate: Settle, Prepare, Move the City,” using creativity as the main tool to heal minds, restore the economy, and build the city's resilience against future disasters. It centers on three key pillars: POST (post-crisis healing), PREPARE (learning to live with water), and PLACEMAKING (revitalizing public spaces).
The event has transformed Thammanoonwithee Park into a model creative space, offering participatory activities where everyone can learn and find emotional refuge, including:
Exhibition & Installation
Explore "The Up-Level Maze," an inflatable maze that turns complex flood data into a tangible experience, and visit the "Wave of Kindness" exhibition that shares stories of everyday heroes in the community helping each other during crises.
Experiment & Healing Space
Stop by "Sub-Space," a safe area for relaxation and emotional connection, and view "Resilient Pieces," prototype public furniture designed to survive and adapt for varied uses even during floods.
Preparedness & Learning
Join the "Pack-to-Basic" and "HEART-WARE Station" workshops teaching practical skills for crisis preparation and simple emergency flood kits for families to use effectively.
Performance & Show
Enjoy music performances and talks, featuring a highlight shadow puppet show titled "Love Hat Yai... The Great Flood Escape Festival," which uses traditional art to vividly tell survival stories with educational insights.
Market & Promotion
Shop and support the "RE-STORE" market zone, gathering more than 30 local entrepreneurs to jointly revive the grassroots economy and energize the neighborhood after the crisis.
Hug HeartYai is more than a temporary event; it marks a crucial milestone in transforming Hat Yai from a commercial and transit city into a place that enhances long-term quality of life, raises awareness, and prepares for all conditions.
Join us to set a foundation and take the next steps together from 30 July to 2 August 2026, 4:00 PM to 10:00 PM at Thammanoonwithee Park, Thammanoonwithee Road, Hat Yai District, Songkhla Province. Admission is free with no charge.