Take to the skies with the Dark Lord’s ride！ The Shihmen Hot Air Balloon Festival kicks off on the 17th — Star Wars joins the lineup

▲ The Taoyuan Shihmen Reservoir Hot Air Balloon Festival enters its second edition. (Photo / Provided by Taoyuan City Government Tourism Bureau, same below, photo is stock image)

Travel Center / Comprehensive Report

It’s not just Taitung that has hot air balloons. The “2017 Taoyuan Shihmen Reservoir Hot Air Balloon Festival” will be in full swing from June 17 to June 25. To allow more hot air balloon enthusiasts to get up close and experience the thrill of flight, this year the event period has been extended to nine days. In addition to the popular tethered hot air balloon rides from last year, there will also be night light and music shows in the evenings where you can enjoy the balloons in a whole new light.

▲ Star Wars characters appeared at today’s press conference.

This year, the Shihmen Reservoir Hot Air Balloon Festival not only extends its schedule but also brought hot air balloons into the city early at the June 1 press conference, displaying them at the Arts and Performance Center. Additionally, this year’s event site will specially feature hot air balloons modeled after Darth Vader and Master Yoda. The Darth Vader-shaped balloon stands 26 meters tall and 21 meters wide, while the Yoda-shaped balloon is 19 meters high and 28 meters wide. These giant character balloons are incredibly impressive and will be one of the must-see highlights this year.

▲ Star Wars-themed hot air balloons will join the lineup this year.

According to assessments by professional teams, the best times for hot air balloon rides are early morning (5:30 AM) and evening (4:30 PM). The public can make advance reservations on the event’s official website. Each session is limited to 100 participants (reservations for the morning and afternoon sessions from June 17 to June 20 will open at 10:30 AM on June 12, and reservations for the morning and afternoon sessions from June 21 to June 25 will open at 10:30 AM on June 19). Each ride costs NT$500, with an additional 20% discount for holders of a citizen card or residents of Taoyuan, allowing everyone to enjoy unique views of the Shihmen South Garden Ecological Park and the back reservoir from a fresh perspective.

In addition to the hot air balloon ride experience, other activities such as the “walk-in exploration tour” where you can step inside a balloon, and outdoor games, make the event site lively and fun. On weekends, there will also be exclusive activities such as the PLAY BALL inflatable zone, stamp-collecting events, and open-air concerts. Moreover, those who present receipts of NT$500 or more from local live fish restaurants, reservoir cruise operators, or vendors at the event site can enjoy activities such as grassland zorbing or bubble soccer.