How beautiful！2,000 sky lanterns take flight together — “Round Baby” lanterns soar on Lantern Festival

▲ The main “Love and Peace” lantern and other lanterns slowly ascending. (Photo / Provided by New Taipei City Tourism and Travel Bureau)

Tourism Center / Comprehensive Report

The second major event of the Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival in New Taipei City kicked off on the 8th, with organizers releasing a giant 26-foot prayer lantern themed “Love and Peace,” attracting over 100,000 people to the mountain town. Nearly 2,000 lanterns slowly ascended into the sky, creating a spectacular scene. The final round of the festival will be held on February 14th, which is also Valentine’s Day, where visitors can enjoy the sight of giant “Round Baby” and “Heart” lanterns floating across the night sky.

▲ 2,000 lanterns released in 10 waves, creating a magnificent and beautiful scene. (Photo / Provided by New Taipei City Tourism and Travel Bureau)

The Tourism Bureau stated that the theme lantern of the second event collected 1,040 messages of blessing written by people from 28 countries across five continents on the event’s website, which were then collaged with flags of various nations to present “peace & love,” all in prayer for love and peace around the world. The event prepared 1,950 lanterns, released in 10 rounds for the public to launch, with about 200 lanterns taking off each time. Many participants exclaimed, “How beautiful!”

The third event will take place on Lantern Festival, which also coincides with Valentine’s Day. The prayer lantern ceremony themed “Hand in Hand in Reunion, Love Soaring Aloft” will be held at Shifen Square, where the public can admire the “Giant Panda Round Baby Lantern” jointly created by New Taipei City and Taipei City. The Tourism Bureau noted that heart-themed lanterns will also be released on the day to spread a sense of sweetness and joy among participants.

▲ The 26-foot “Love and Peace” lantern, which gathered blessings from 28 countries around the globe (top); the “Round Baby” lantern will also take flight on Lantern Festival (bottom). (Photo / Provided by New Taipei City Tourism and Travel Bureau)

The Tourism Bureau also reminds visitors that comprehensive traffic controls for cars and motorcycles will be enforced on the 14th, from 9:00 AM to midnight. To avoid crowded conditions, visitors are advised to take the train or shuttle buses to the event venue. Detailed event information and transportation details can be found on theofficial website.