Hot Air Balloon Carnival & Southern Island Indigenous Dawn Festival – Taimali Golden Needle Flower Season Kicks Off Simultaneously

▲The final dawn light show and concert of the Taitung Hot Air Balloon Carnival kicked off vibrantly at 4:00 AM on July 22 at Taimali Dawn Park in Taitung. (Photo / Provided by Taitung County Government, same as below)

Reported by Wang Zhaolin, Taitung

Following the successful challenge of Taiwan’s most beautiful dawn spectacle at Sanxiantai on July 8, 2017, during the Taiwan International Hot Air Balloon Carnival, this year’s second and final dawn light show and concert took place at 4:00 AM on July 22 at Taimali Dawn Park in Taitung County.

Before the event began, there was intermittent rain, raising concerns about potential disruptions. However, after the first hot air balloon from Taitung successfully took off, the weather cleared up, ensuring that the long-awaited fans were not disappointed. The balloons — Brazil’s Seahorse, Japan’s Octopus, and Welfare Bear — all successfully launched, making this classic and highly anticipated dawn light show a reality.

This year’s dawn light show at Taimali featured songs with a strong Southern Island indigenous theme, as Taiwan is the birthplace of Austronesian languages, and the Southern Island’s indigenous roots lie in Taitung. For this international event — the Dawn Hot Air Balloon Light Show Concert — carefully selected indigenous music from across Taiwan was featured, including original songs by this year’s Golden Melody Award winners: Sangpuy, Abao, and Mazka. This infused the light show with rich indigenous culture, complemented by hot air balloon fire performances, on-site light projections, and the layered beauty of dawn, creating a perfect summer experience for fans. The final two “All Burn” displays immersed attendees in the luckiest moments. Cheng Cheng-chun, the “mayor” of Taimali, also announced during the concert that Taimali’s annual Golden Needle Flower Season is about to begin, offering visitors another attraction to explore after enjoying the hot air balloons in Taitung.

The organizers also invited rapper Guan Liren to perform live, energizing the crowd with powerful rap, along with DJ sets that presented the light show in diverse styles. The event concluded perfectly with a performance by the local indigenous dance group Lubakatsu, bidding farewell to fans and inviting them to reunite next year.

The Hot Air Balloon Carnival will continue until August 6. Every day at Luye Gaotai, visitors can enjoy various domestic and international-shaped hot air balloons during two time slots, as well as experience tethered hot air balloon rides. The time slots are 5:30 AM to 7:30 AM and 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM. Additionally, upcoming light shows on July 29 at Zhiben Hot Springs and August 6 at Luye Gaotai are not to be missed.

Hot Air Balloon Tethered Experience Schedule: July 1 – August 6, 2017. Morning session: 5:30 AM – 7:30 AM | Ticket sales start at 5:00 AM. Afternoon session: 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM | Ticket sales start at 4:00 PM. 2017 Taiwan Hot Air Balloon Carnival Light Show Concert Schedule: July 29 (Sat) 8:00 PM: Beinan Township – Zhiben Hot Springs Area. August 6 (Sun) 8:00 PM: Luye Township – Luye Gaotai (Closing). 2017 Taiwan International Hot Air Balloon Carnival Transportation Info: Refer to official event shuttle details: http://balloontaiwan.taitung.gov.tw/zh-tw