Taipei 101 New Year’s Eve Fireworks – to Be Lit by Spider-Man

Travel Center / Comprehensive Report

“Spider-Man” Appears on Taipei’s New Year Stage: The highly anticipated Taipei 101 New Year’s Eve fireworks are about to begin, and this year, the movie hero Spider-Man will be the one to ignite them. As the countdown reaches zero, Spider-Man will shoot a beam toward the Taipei 101 building to set off the fireworks; 13 hours later, he’ll appear atop the New Year’s Eve crystal ball in New York’s Times Square to welcome 2014.

▲ The Taipei 101 New Year’s Eve fireworks are ignited by a beam shot from “Spider-Man.” (Photo / fromSony Pictures’ Facebook fan page)

This 4-meter-tall, 350-kilogram Spider-Man statue is placed at the front of the New Year’s Eve stage, with the superhero standing atop a 12-meter-high themed platform, creating an impressive visual effect. As the countdown begins, the beam will be shot from Spider-Man’s hand to the Taipei 101 building to ignite the fireworks. The creative idea of Spider-Man lighting the fireworks is a promotional campaign by the film studio for their upcoming movie. Organizers revealed that this New Year’s surprise cost NT$2 million.

The film company stated that after ringing in the New Year in Taipei, Spider-Man will appear around 13 hours later at the New Year’s celebration in New York’s Times Square, joining the famous crystal ball drop ceremony. At that time, the big screen will also feature exciting clips from the new movie.

Taipei City’s New Year’s Eve gala has invited entertainers such as Jolin Tsai, Elva Hsiao, S.H.E, Yoga Lin, and Tao Zhe. The event will also feature live connections with Japan’s NHK Kohaku Uta Gassen and Masaharu Fukuyama’s Yokohama concert. Taipei City Government said attendance is expected to reach one million, and advised the public to use public transportation. Taipei Metro will operate continuously for 42 hours starting at 6 a.m. on December 31 to help ease the crowd.