By MOOK Scenic Spots Family / Photos by New Taipei City Songkran Festival
The Songkran Festival is a traditional New Year celebration in Myanmar and Thailand. Every year in mid-April, the New Taipei City government holds the “New Taipei City Songkran Festival” in Huaxin Street, Nanshihjiao, Zhonghe District. This event allows Myanmar expatriate residents who can't go home for the holidays to enjoy a taste of their hometown New Year in Taiwan. It also attracts many Taiwanese people to join in the fun, celebrate together, and promote cultural exchange.
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Every year, the mid-April New Taipei City Songkran Festival draws large numbers of both Taiwanese and Myanmar expatriate participants.
The 2019 New Taipei City Songkran Festival, themed “Fortune Comes Rolling In,” featured themed splashing zones such as a Myanmar wind-moving stone pagoda, an exciting Thai-style water battle dragon boat, colorful bubbles, and eight zodiac signs. The event kicked off on Sunday, April 14, in Huaxin Street, Zhonghe District, from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Entry was free, and the fun lasted all day.
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In addition to water-splashing, there were various themed splash zones.
On the day of the event, high monks were invited to perform blessings through sacred water rituals. The stage hosted fantastic cultural performances, while local vendors offered free tastings of Southeast Asian cuisine. There were also fun challenge games and lucky draws, with the grand prize being a round-trip ticket between Thailand, Myanmar, and Taiwan. This diverse, experiential style of splashing and blessing immersed everyone in the festive atmosphere of Southeast Asian-style New Year celebrations.
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High monks performed sacred water rituals to bless participants and helped visitors tie red threads for good luck.
In addition, throughout the weekends of April, a series of Southeast Asian cultural exchange events were held, including parent-child experiences, themed movies, Southeast Asian markets, community walks — such as the Huaxin Street city tour — and Southeast Asian cooking classes. These rich experiences were free to attend and provided deeper insight into Southeast Asian culture.
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Stage for artistic performances and lucky draw activities.
The Songkran Festival is meant to wash away the misfortunes of the previous year and pray for blessings in the coming one. Splashing water on others brings them good luck and is an important annual event in Southeast Asia. New Taipei City has the highest population of new residents in Taiwan, and the area around Nanshihjiao in Zhonghe District has the largest Myanmar expatriate community in the city. Over time, Huaxin Street has evolved into a hub of Southeast Asian cuisine. Hosting the Songkran Festival in mid-April helps enhance understanding of Southeast Asian culture and promotes respect for cultural diversity.
【Info】
2019 New Taipei City Songkran Festival
Time: April 14 (Sun) 09:00–16:00
Venue: Huaxin Street, Zhonghe District, New Taipei City
Southeast Asian Market
Time: April 20 & 21, 10:00–15:00
Venue: Air Force Sanzhongyi Village, Veterans' Village Cultural Park, New Taipei City (No. 86, Zhengyi South Road, Sanchong District)
※ Free entry
Themed Movie “Far Away”
Time: April 20 (Sat), Movie Screening 16:00–18:00
Venue: Air Force Sanzhongyi Village, Veterans' Village Cultural Park, New Taipei City (No. 86, Zhengyi South Road, Sanchong District)
※ Free entry
Community Walk – Huaxin Street City Tour
Time: April 21 (Sun), 10:00–12:00
Venue: Huaxin Street, Zhonghe District
※ Registration required; each session limited to 20 participants, online registration only
Southeast Asian Cooking Class “Cold Noodles”
Time: April 27 (Sat), 13:00–14:00, 15:00–16:00
Location: Air Force Sanzhong First Village, Veterans' Village Cultural Park, New Taipei City
※ Registration required. Each session is limited to 20 participants (10 online, 10 on-site)
Featured Film: "Blood Amber"
Time: April 27 (Sat), 14:00–16:00
Location: Yonghe Minquan Branch of Taipei Public Library (No. 60, Minquan Rd., Yonghe District)
※ Free admission
Southeast Asian Cuisine Workshop: “Thai Cold Salad”
Time: April 28 (Sun), 13:00–14:00 and 15:00–16:00
Location: Air Force Sanzhong First Village, Veterans' Village Cultural Park, New Taipei City
※ Reservation required. Each session has a limit of 20 participants, all registrations must be done online
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》https://www.mook.com.tw/article.php?op=articleinfo&articleid=11675