The Yilan Children's Festival Draws to a Close with Over 520,000 Visitors

Reported by Chen Tzu-yin / Comprehensive Report

The 51-day 2014 Yilan International Children's Folklore and Folkgame Festival came to a perfect end today (24th), with the closing ceremony held at 6:40 PM. It will be followed by the autumn highlight of Yilan tourism — the "Yilan Ageless Festival" — which will continue to enliven the local scene.


▲ The Yilan Children's Festival closed today, with total attendance surpassing 520,000 and breaking last year’s record. (Photo / Provided by Yilan County Government)

Organizers said that the Dongshan River Park still attracted a large number of visitors today, with a total of 161,047 people entering the park. The overall attendance for the 2014 Children's Festival reached 526,492, breaking last year’s record. The day’s “Closing Joint Performance” featured five international groups (from Japan, Lithuania, Russia, Thailand, and Ukraine) along with Taiwan’s nx Dance Troupe, presenting the dance piece “Celebratory Feast Dancing.” Finally, performers from eight countries — Japan, Lithuania, Palestine, Peru, Russia, Thailand, Ukraine, and the Republic of China — said goodbye in their native languages, while the audience joined in shouting, “See you at the 2015 Yilan Children's Festival!”

Magistrate Lin Cong-xian expressed gratitude to the residents of Yilan County for being exemplary hosts during the festival, welcoming guests from all over. He noted that the Children's Festival is a cultural asset belonging to all residents and to Taiwan as a whole.

The upcoming “Yilan Ageless Festival,” scheduled from September 27 to October 5, is the world’s first theme park designed specifically for the elderly. During the closing ceremony of the Children's Festival, the festival’s ambassadors — heavyweight characters from Hong Kong, “Old Master Q” and “Big Potato” — popped out of a magic door to announce the start of their term, continuing to welcome visitors to Yilan.