For the first time, a little dragon takes center stage as the main lantern — Taiwan Lantern Festival kicks off in Hsinchu County on February 24

By Chen Guan-hsin, MOOK Travel & Leisure

 

As one of the key events marking the end of the Lunar New Year celebrations, the Taiwan Lantern Festival attracts numerous domestic and international visitors each year. Now entering its 24th edition, the festival will be held from February 24 to March 10 at the High-Speed Rail Hsinchu Station Special Zone in Zhubei City, Hsinchu County. The main lantern this year, titled “Rising Dragon, Flourishing Times,” stands over 20 meters tall and wide, weighing approximately 26 metric tons. For the first time in the festival’s history, the main lantern features a snake — often referred to as a “little dragon” — as its design. It will be officially unveiled on the evening of February 24, during the Lantern Festival. This year, the event also plans to distribute 80,000 small “Whirlwind Mischievous Snake” lanterns to the public.

The 2013 Taiwan Lantern Festival features a total of 12 themed lantern areas. The official lighting ceremony will take place at 7:15 PM on February 24, during the Lantern Festival. In consideration of the high-speed rail schedule and station announcements, the traditional hourly and half-hourly main lantern shows, which had been maintained for 23 years, have been adjusted to performances at the 15th and 45th minutes of each hour. The musical score for the lantern displays has been composed by Huang Hsin-tsai, Associate Professor at the Department of Chinese Music, National Taiwan University of Arts. The score integrates six steps of the lantern lighting ceremony, blending traditional Chinese music, orchestral arrangements, Taiwanese folk melodies, and local Nanguan music to create a festive, joyful, and culturally rich atmosphere. Additionally, this year’s festival includes lantern displays and participations from cities such as Xi’an, Shenyang, and Fuzhou in China, as well as performance groups from Japan’s Aomori Prefecture Nebuta Festival and Kochi Prefecture Yosakoi Festival.

The small lanterns to be given away, called “Whirlwind Mischievous Snake,” reflect the strong tech vibe and strong seasonal winds (known as “Cierhong winds”) of Hsinchu County. These colorful mechanical snakes not only feature bright hues and propeller elements that interact with the wind but can also be carried by hand or strapped to the wrist to mimic a coiled snake, encouraging interaction among both adults and children. Moreover, from now until January 16, there is also a small lantern lottery campaign. By joining the “2013 Taiwan Lantern Festival in Hsinchu County” Facebook fan page, participants have a chance to win a Whirlwind Mischievous Snake lantern.

For transportation, visitors can take the high-speed rail or the Taiwan Railways Administration’s Liujia Branch Line directly to the festival site. Shuttle buses will also be available from Hsinchu Railway Station and Zhubei Railway Station to transfer guests to the festival. For those driving, seven major parking lots with nearly 20,000 parking spaces are available in the vicinity, including the Zhubei Ziqiang North Road Parking Lot, Zhubei Zhonghua Road (Philips) Parking Lot, and Zhubei Xinglong Road (National Taiwan University of Science and Technology) Parking Lot in Zhubei City. From there, visitors can take shuttle buses to enter the lantern viewing areas.

 

To encourage daytime exploration of Hsinchu and evening lantern viewing, the event offers 16 packaged tour options, including both one-day and two-day trips. Participants can enjoy the evening lantern displays as well as day trips to Beipu Old Street, Neiwan Old Street, Shei-Pa National Park, Smangus, Guanwu National Forest Recreation Area, and Lavender Cottage. More details can be found on the official event website: 2013taiwanlantern.net/tw/index.php.

 

 

● Read more: Twelve Major Hakka Festivals Announced, Featuring Hsinchu’s “Da Noon” Tradition for the First Time

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