Three days of Khmer arts on the Sangker
The Chumnor Arts Festival runs from December 15 to 17, 2026. It is an annual community and arts festival in Battambang, and its focus is Khmer culture. It’s three days long, in a provincial city that already takes its art seriously.
Battambang suits the idea. Phare Ponleu Selpak, the arts school founded in 1994 by Cambodians returning from refugee camps, trains painters, musicians and circus performers on the edge of town. Small galleries fill the French-era shophouse rows around Psar Nat, the central market built in the 1930s in Art Deco style.
Dates, tickets and venue
- Dates: December 15–17, 2026
- City: Battambang, northwest Cambodia, on the Sangker River
- Theme: community events and Khmer arts
The organisers hold the venue, programme and entry information. This page doesn’t repeat details we can’t stand behind, so you won’t find an invented lineup, start times or prices here.
December falls in Cambodia’s cool, dry season. Rain is rare, days are warm, and evenings outdoors are comfortable. That matters for a festival where community events often spill into open-air spaces.
Reaching Battambang in December
Battambang has no regular commercial flights. International arrivals land at Phnom Penh or Siem Reap and continue by road.
- From Phnom Penh: buses and minivans along National Road 5, roughly five to six hours
- From Siem Reap: buses take about three to four hours
- By river: the Siem Reap boat via the Tonlé Sap and the Sangker depends on water levels, and it’s slow and patchy by the dry season
Festival visitors usually stay in the old town between the river and Psar Nat. Guesthouses, cafés and galleries there are all within a short tuk-tuk ride of each other.
Moving around between performances
Battambang runs on two currencies. Here is how a festival day usually works:
- Paying: US dollars and Cambodian riel circulate together. Change below a dollar comes back in riel, and street stalls deal mostly in cash.
- Tuk-tuks: riders agree the fare before setting off. Many drivers wait outside guesthouses and will do a half-day loop.
- Greetings: the sampeah, palms pressed together at chest height, is the polite hello and thank-you, especially with elders and performers.
- Photos: visitors normally ask before photographing performers offstage, and children in particular.
- Temples: covered shoulders and knees, and shoes off before entering a shrine.
Free mornings and evenings fill easily. The bamboo train (norry) rattles along a short stretch of track outside town. Wat Ek Phnom, an 11th-century Angkorian temple, sits north of the centre. Phnom Banan’s hilltop towers are reached by a long stone stairway to the south.
At dusk, millions of bats pour out of a cave at the foot of Phnom Sampov, about 12km southwest. Tuk-tuk drivers know the timing and the viewing spot by the roadside. It’s a natural close to a day of festival events, and a strong reason to give Battambang a night or two beyond December 17.
Frequently asked questions
When is the Chumnor Arts Festival 2026?
It runs for three days in Battambang, Cambodia, from December 15 to 17, 2026.
What kind of festival is it?
It's an annual community and arts festival that celebrates Khmer culture. Battambang's strong arts scene, anchored by the Phare Ponleu Selpak school and the galleries around Psar Nat, gives it a natural setting.
How do I get to Battambang for the festival?
Fly into Phnom Penh or Siem Reap and continue by road. The bus takes roughly five to six hours from Phnom Penh, or about three to four hours from Siem Reap. Battambang has no regular commercial flights.
What is the weather like in mid-December?
December is in Cambodia's cool, dry season. Rain is rare, days are warm and evenings are comfortable for outdoor events.
What else is there to do nearby?
You could ride the bamboo train, visit Wat Ek Phnom and Phnom Banan, or watch the bats stream out of the cave at Phnom Sampov at dusk, about 12km southwest of town.
Plan your trip to Battambang
Cambodia eSIM & staying connected →
Some links above are affiliate links — if you book through them, Wander Atlas earns a small commission at no extra cost to you. It's how we keep every guide free.
