The Year of the Snake mini lantern "Haha" debuts at the Taipei Lantern Festival—its versatile design is a real eye-catcher

Tourism Center / Taipei Report

The annual "Taipei Lantern Festival," which attracts over a million visitors, will light up Sections 1 to 3 of Zhongshan North Road, from Yuanshan MRT Station to Minquan MRT Station, creating a 4-kilometer stretch of festive lights. For the first time, the festival has moved to the Taipei Flora Expo’s Yuanshan and Fine Arts Parks, featuring a variety of themed lantern areas, and will run for 11 days from February 21 to March 3.


▲ The Year of the Snake mini lantern "Haha." (Photo / From the Taipei Lantern Festival Facebook page)

In addition to the main lantern display, this year’s (2013) mini lanterns are also a major highlight. The Year of the Snake mini lantern "Haha" features sparkling, bright eyes and a playful, adorable smile. It uses a warm, happy, and peaceful pink tone, decorated with patterns inspired by the 14 indigenous tribes of Taiwan, drawing on the blessings embedded in traditional designs. The overall design combines traditional culture with modern elements. Beyond allowing the public to experience the indigenous spirit of reverence for nature, respect for the environment, optimism, and vitality, it also symbolizes Taipei—a city where old and new blend, nurturing a long-standing culture—as a place of diversity, richness, and infinite possibilities.

What’s also surprising is "Haha’s" fun and versatile design. Conceptualized around the image of a dancing serpent, the lantern is built with a segmented structure that showcases lively curves and poses, resulting in two distinctly different versions of "Haha"—one dynamic, one serene—symbolizing the balance of strength and beauty, as well as the flexibility and completeness of life.

The Taipei City Government stated that a total of 100,000 mini lanterns will be distributed this year at 14 locations simultaneously. In addition to the distribution method used last year, where lanterns were handed out across all 12 administrative districts of Taipei, they will also be given out at the festival sites—the "Yuanshan Park Competition Hall" and the "Flower Tunnel Entrance at the Fine Arts Park Welcome Hall." Distribution will take place on February 23 and 24, 2013, starting at 1:30 PM, with a limit of one lantern per person, while supplies last.

The 2013 Taipei Lantern Festival will also kick off on February 6, with a 4-kilometer stretch of festive lights along Sections 1 to 3 of Zhongshan North Road, from Yuanshan MRT Station to Minquan MRT Station, illuminating the city’s main thoroughfares. Through specially decorated exhibition stands, the festival will showcase Taipei’s history and culture, bringing a romantic and heartwarming festive atmosphere to the public. From February 21 to March 3, over an 11-day period, the main exhibition area in the Taipei Flora Expo’s Yuanshan and Fine Arts Parks will light up the Taipei night sky with dazzling displays, accompanying everyone in welcoming the new year and experiencing the beauty of a happy Taipei.