Pineapple buns and shrimp sushi make a flashy street debut—Taipei Lantern Festival Grand Parade kicks off on Lantern Festival

▲ Various adorable float designs. (Photo / Provided by Taipei City Government Tourism and Travel Bureau, same as below)

Reported by Yu Jiayun / Taipei

The“Westgate Carnival Grand Parade”this Saturday (the 11th) will present local elements of Ximending—“People, Trend, Rooster, Motion”—to highlight the area’s unique culture. Features such as youth fashion trends, popular local cuisine among tourists, Year of the Rooster-themed displays, and sports from the Universiade will all be transformed into eye-catching floats joining the parade. The event has also revealed the best viewing locations and the star-studded lineup of participating performance troupes. The public is encouraged to bring the “Dancing Magical Rooster” mini lanterns distributed by the city government to create a “Great Rooster Gathering” and celebrate Taipei’s Lantern Festival night.

Spanning 700 meters, the parade will consist of 65 formations made up of 41 large and small floats and performance groups, with over 1,600 performers and technicians involved. Prior to the start, 50 Harley-Davidson motorcycles will cruise the city to kick off the festivities. Among them, the “Westgate Story” float will stretch 17 meters, the “Solar Flare Rooster” will stand at 8.5 meters tall, and the “Lin Mo Niang” float will feature performances by an anime group. In addition to inviting student performance groups from Taipei—including marching bands, cheer squads, military bands, street dance crews, indie bands, and traditional arts troupes—there will also be special appearances by new immigrant women from Changhua traveling from the south, as well as international groups from South Africa. The lineup is impressive and the formation is powerful.

▲ The parade will take placein the evening of the 11th.

Starting from noon on the day of the parade, sections of Zhonghua Road and Chengdu Road will be closed to traffic. The Paper Windmill Theater has also announced the best viewing spots: the eastbound lanes of Zhonghua Road and both sides of Chengdu Road will offer great views of the carnival parade. Those looking to experience the largest-ever parade in the western part of the city are advised to arrive early to secure a good spot and join this rare western district celebration.

Information on the Taipei Lantern Festival Westgate Carnival Grand Parade

Time: 6:00 PM, February 11
Location: Assemble at Fuxing Elementary School on Section 1 of Zhonghua Road, then depart from the Wuchang Street intersection. The route will pass through Chengdu Road and Kangding Road.
Transportation: Extensive traffic control and road closures will be in place that day. Participants are strongly advised to use public transportation.