Gingerbread men and macarons scattered among flower fields – the “Tainan Flower Festival” kicks off on Valentine’s Day

▲ A macaron-shaped installation at Shuiping Park. (Photo / fromTainan City Government website, the same below)

Travel Center / Comprehensive Report

The 2015 Tainan Flower Festival “Blooms Everywhere” features exhibition sites spread across six small and medium-sized parks, including the South District’s Shuiping Park, Shuijiaoshe Park, Xigang Central Park, Jiali Park, Liujia Multifunctional Leisure Sports Park, and Xinying Nanying Green Heart. The festival runs from February 14th, Valentine’s Day, with a grand opening, closing on March 5th — a 20-day event. During the Spring Festival, to avoid traffic congestion or parking issues that could dampen your mood, it’s recommended to take a “light bus trip” around the city to enjoy the Tainan Flower Festival.

This year’s Flower Festival centers around “Four Major Themes: Lifestyle & Creativity ‘Nostalgic Tainan’; Gastronomy & Ancient Capital ‘Savor Tainan’; Industry Features ‘Fun Tainan’; and Waterways, Tech & Art ‘Artistic Tainan’.” In addition to vast flower fields, the festival also incorporates playful and adorable, or locally culturally representative art installations. Though some areas are still under construction, they have already attracted many families to come and enjoy the blooms. The thematic concepts of the various parks are as follows:

▲ A small airplane landing amidst the flower fields quietly tells the story of the former Air Force military dependents' village.

Shuijiaoshe Park: Themed “Lifestyle & Creativity ‘Nostalgic Tainan’.” Originally an Air Force military dependents' village, Shuijiaoshe was redeveloped, and parts of it, including the residences of senior and junior officers, were preserved to form the Shuijiaoshe Cultural District. The Flower Festival uses colorful cloud formations created by Thunder Tiger models and airplane installation art to retell the stories of the Air Force village, allowing visitors to appreciate the flowers while learning more about the culture of these communities.

Shuiping Park: Themed “Gastronomy & Ancient Capital ‘Savor Tainan’.” Entering from the intersection of Jinhua Road and Yonghua Road, the first thing you see is a landscape made with Tainan’s famous fruits such as pineapples and pomelos. Approaching from Xialin Road, you’ll be welcomed by grass sculptures of Totoro and two round, chubby Totoros joyfully greeting visitors. The park is filled with installation artworks of macarons, cakes, ice cream, various fruits, as well as the very popular gingerbread men, which are a hit with children — making it perfect for family outings.

▲ Even gingerbread men are drawn to the colorful flower fields, standing among the blossoms and enjoying being surrounded by vibrant blooms. It has become a popular photo spot.

Nanying Green Heart: The organizers have set up installations such as “Shimmering Wafers Reflecting Floral Splendor,” “Swans Delivering Love,” and “Light Mirror Floral Portals,” creating an urban kaleidoscope under the theme “Waterways, Tech & Art ‘Artistic Tainan’,” while also expressing that Tainan is a livable city.

Xigang Central Park, Jiali Park, and Liujia Multifunctional Leisure Sports Park: These three parks are designed around the theme “Industry Features ‘Fun Tainan’,” showcasing local characteristics through landscapes related to industries such as millet farming, anthurium flower meanings, and the joy of reading in the woods, all nestled within the flower fields.

▲ Totoro also makes a quiet appearance in the park, hiding among the flower fields to play hide-and-seek with visitors.

Additionally, the Tainan City Government has announced transportation details to the six flower viewing areas. For Shuiping Park, you can take the Blue Trunk Line, Blue 23 Branch Line, Bus 88 (Sightseeing), City Buses 10 and 19, getting off at “Shuiping Park Station” on Yonghua Road; Bus 6, getting off at “Shuiping Park Station” on Jinhua Road; or Bus 0 Left and 0 Right, getting off at “Hakka Cultural Hall Station” on Xialin Road. Nearby, you can also explore the food and department stores in Haian Road and Guohua Street commercial areas. For Shuijiaoshe Park, take City Buses 2, 5, 15, 0 Left and 0 Right, getting off at “Jiaqi Girls' High School Station” on Jiankang Road and walk to Shuijiaoshe; or take Bus 18, getting off at “Asia Culinary Station” or “Shuijiaoshe Station” on Section 1 of Dacheng Road and walk there.

Using an electronic ticket card on trunk or branch buses allows you to enjoy a basic fare of NT$26 for the first 8 kilometers, plus a NT$9 transfer discount within 2 hours, and another NT$9 discount when transferring from a train to a bus. Therefore, this year’s Flower Festival is perfect for a light bus tour around the city — saving money and avoiding many transportation hassles!