The Brilliant Maple & Tung Blossom Festival opens registration — 50 free 4TN sky lanterns available each month

Tourism Center / Comprehensive Report

The New Taipei City Government’s Department of Tourism will launch the “Brilliant Maple & Tung Blossom Festival – Monthly Sky Lantern Release” and “Shihfen Showcases Talent – Monthly Highlights” events starting in March. Fifty 4TN sky lanterns will be provided free each month, along with performances by local groups including elementary and secondary school teachers and students from Pingxi. These initiatives allow every visitor to deeply experience the natural and cultural beauty of areas such as JingTong and Shihfen.

For the “Brilliant Maple & Tung Blossom Festival – Monthly Sky Lantern Release,” 50 free 4TN sky lanterns will be provided per session. Colorful pens will also be available on-site for writing wishes, and once the lanterns are decorated, they will be released with assistance from staff.The monthly sessions will be held on March 16, April 13, May 11, June 8, July 13, August 10, September 14, October 12, November 9, and December 14 — a total of 10 sessions.Registration for each session is from 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM on the day of the event. To accommodate visitors’ schedules, each lantern will be released individually after decoration. Registration for all sessions throughout the year is now open. Please call (02) 2495-8409 to make a reservation.

The Tourism Bureau also reminds visitors that:The Jifu Highway, connecting Keelung to Fulong, is expected to open in May.To ensure both the safety of sky lantern releases and road users, the first two lantern release sessions on March 16 and April 13 will be held at the Shihfen Visitor Center before the highway opens. Starting in May, all subsequent sessions will take place at the Pingxi Substation. Participants are advised to take note of this update. During the lantern release activities, each lantern must be accompanied by 2–3 adults for release. Those who fail to check in on the day of the event will be considered to have forfeited their spot, and available spaces will be offered to other visitors on-site.

Additionally, to showcase the vitality and enthusiasm of local students and art groups, and to promote the charm of regional culture, the Tourism Bureau will alsohold the “Shihfen Showcases Talent – Monthly Highlights” events on March 23, April 27, May 25, June 22, July 27, August 24, September 28, and October 26— every fourth Sunday of the month from 3:30 PM to 4:00 PM at the Shihfen Visitor Center. Local art groups and elementary and junior high school students from Pingxi, including Pingxi Junior High School, Shihfen Elementary School, JingTong Elementary School, Pingxi Elementary School, and the local group “Black Gold Years” dance troupe, will perform vibrant lantern dances, dragon and lion dances, and various instrumental music acts.

The Tourism Bureau stated that visitors wishing to visit the Pingxi Substation and Shihfen Visitor Center to experience sky lantern releases can take the Pingxi Branch Line train from Badu or Ruifang Train Stations and directly purchase the “Pingxi One-Day Pass” (full fare NT$52, half fare NT$28) for unlimited rides on the branch line for the day. Travelers taking the train can disembark at JingTong Station and walk toward the old street entrance; or drive from National Freeway No. 2, exit at the Shiding Interchange, then turn onto Provincial Highway 106 toward the JingTong Old Street entrance; or take a bus, transfer at Muzha Metro Station to Taipei Bus 795, or take Taiwan Tourist Shuttle [Muzha to Pingxi] and get off at JingTong Station to reach the sky lantern substation.

For those driving to Shihfen, you may also take County Highway 106 toward Shihfen and enter via the scenic area entrance at Kilometer 68.7 on Highway 106; bus travelers can take Taipei Bus 795 or the Taiwan Tourist Shuttle [Muzha to Pingxi], which goes directly to the Shihfen Visitor Center terminal.