Hualien Lunar New Year Goods Street: Five Highlights to “Shop Everything in One Go”

Tourism Center / Comprehensive Report

This year, the Hualien County Government once again held the “Lunar New Year Goods Street” event on Futing Road in Hualien City to facilitate residents’ New Year shopping, create a festive atmosphere, offer a great destination for the holiday season, and promote the charm of Hualien’s premium agricultural and fishery specialties through this event. The fair runs from January 24 to February 14, with the night market open every evening from 6:30 PM to 9:30 PM. The goods market is divided into themed sections, including an Agricultural and Fishery Specialties Zone, a New Year Goods Zone, a Local Delicacies Feast Zone, a New Year’s Eve Dinner Zone, and a Good Farmers Image Light Zone.


▲ The Hualien County Government holds the “Lunar New Year Goods Street” event on Futing Road to facilitate residents’ New Year shopping and create a festive atmosphere. (Photo / Provided by Hualien County Government)

Magistrate Fu Kun-chi stated that to meet the needs of people from all over who wish to “shop everything in one go,” the Lunar New Year Goods Street is being held again this year. In addition to offering a wide range of dried and preserved goods, festive couplets, and fresh fruits and vegetables, the event also gathers premium agricultural and fishery specialties from various township farmers' associations. Six well-known hotels have also joined in to set up a New Year’s Eve Dinner Zone for sampling and ordering. At the same time, it is combined with nearby souvenir streets, Rainbow Night Market, and food stalls to create a traditional New Year shopping area.

“Reviving childhood nostalgia flavors—Hualien’s agricultural products are the most reassuring!” Fu explained. This year’s Lunar New Year Goods Street brings together all the classic old-time flavors, along with small stalls full of childhood fun such as candied haws and cotton candy. The surrounding streets are also decorated with bright red lanterns in line with the Pacific Light Festival, hoping to let children growing up in modern society experience the festive atmosphere of the traditional lunar New Year. The event site has set up a tea-serving area and offers daily tastings of fresh fish ball soup, coffee, rice bran snacks, and soy milk, among other high-quality organic agricultural products. Coupled with the surrounding food stalls, it is perfect for families to stroll and snack together.

 

▲ This year’s Hualien Lunar New Year Goods Street has five highlights. (Photo / Provided by Hualien County Government)

The five highlights of the “2014 Lunar New Year Goods Street – Hualien Good Farmers Sales Event”:

1. Savor Premium Agricultural Specialties: Hualien’s farmers' associations actively promote organic produce, hoping that people across the country can enjoy Hualien’s healthiest organic agricultural products. This section is composed of stalls run by well-known local vendors of premium agricultural and fishery specialties. Not only can visitors easily shop for these products, but they can also sample a variety of specialties for free on-site, helping everyone learn more about Hualien’s local cuisine.

2. Gather Around the Stove for Reunion New Year Dishes: Professional teams from renowned local restaurants and hotels such as Ideal Land, Hualien Farglory Hotel, Yongfeng Restaurant, Chao Tianxia Restaurant, and Fengchuan Restaurant have set up a dedicated New Year’s Eve Dinner Zone. A variety of New Year dishes are prepared daily for sampling, and there is also an ordering service available for visitors to select and reserve their favorite dishes.

3. Local Delicacies Feast and New Year Goods: Hualien’s rich agricultural products, along with the food culture of its historic streets, have given rise to many unique local food stalls. The aim is to offer visitors a wider selection and a rich culinary experience through local rustic snacks. There are also New Year goods vendors providing a diverse range of festive products, giving the public a quality centralized shopping space for easy purchasing.

4. Good Farmers Image Light Zone: This section is designed around the theme of “A Tourism Powerhouse, Happy Hualien.” It features dazzling light shows paired with light decorations representing the specialties of Hualien’s 13 townships, along with Hualien-themed lanterns. This allows both tourists and locals to appreciate the displays while learning more about the region’s premium agricultural products.

5. Family Fun for All: The event site includes both outdoor and indoor game zones, offering a variety of entertainment options. Not only can adults enjoy strolling through the Lunar New Year Goods Street, but children also have their own play areas. Safety personnel are stationed in the zone to ensure the well-being of all visitors.