Religious Festival: Neihu Mazu’s Parade on April 12

▲ The 2014 Neihu Mazu Fireworks and Arts Festival is set to take place on April 12. (Photo courtesy / Neihu Mazu Fireworks and Arts Festival Facebook page)

Reported by Chen Rui-zhong / Compiled by Staff

The Taipei City Government’s Department of Information and Tourism announced that the Neihu Mazu Arts, Culture, and Fireworks Festival will commence with the “Protecting the Hometown Parish Patrol” at 12:30 on April 12. The event will also feature special guests including Panchiao PuX? (text garbled), Sishilun I-ko Wu?, and the Youth Orchestra.

The Neihu Mazu has a history of over 300 years, and the Mazu’s birthday celebrations are held with great festivity every year during the third lunar month. This year, the parade features over a hundred volunteer sedan-chair bearers. In addition to traditional folk performances, a three-meter-wide “lion head” – the largest of its kind in Taiwan – will make its debut.

The Taipei City Government’s Department of Information and Tourism also noted that, in addition to performances and the parish patrol, the Neihu Mazu Arts, Culture, and Fireworks Festival will include a fireworks display at Bihu Park at 8:00 p.m., and the public is welcome to attend.