The Wat Thai Temple in Silver Spring will be hosting their annual Songkran (Thai New Year) event this Sunday, April 17, 9 a.m.- 3 p.m. For lovers of Thai food, this event is worth the journey. (And for those without cars, Wat Thai is providing school bus shuttles from the Glenmont Metro Station.)

The festival provides attendees with a fantastic opportunity to try out a variety of Thai foods that go beyond the usual pad thai, chicken satay and curries (though there is plenty of that as well). Some of the other notable options include various noodle soups and roasted meats.Make sure you don’t miss out the deep fried bananas — tart little battered bundles with a hint of nuttiness from the sesame seeds which are sprinkled on the top.

When you first approach, you might be daunted by the enormous crowds. But there is plenty of food for everyone — the various food stalls seem to stretch on endlessly. This is definitely a venture for a group with the event’s large portions and huge variety. My recommended strategy? Take an initial loop around the stalls to pick out your favorites, and then deploy everyone to different stalls to stand in line. Meet up at the grassy knoll and enjoy your food family-style. Also, be sure to check out some of the other odds and ends, such as kaffir lime trees, flowers and hats. Sawatdi pimai!