【Friday Fun in Taiwan】Info on 7 Major Lantern Festivals Across Taiwan

The 2014 Taipei Lantern Festival “Happy Taipei Lantern Sea” kicked off on January 25 at 19:30, illuminating Zhongshan North Road Sections 1 to 3. The second phase, the “2014 Taipei Lantern Festival Main Exhibition Area,” will be displayed at the Taipei Expo Park from February 7 to 16. As the opening day falls on a Friday evening, please be mindful of crowds and traffic conditions.

 

Dates: February 7–16

Location: Taipei Expo Park

The first event of the 2014 New Taipei Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival began on the fourth day of the Lunar New Year, with the “Treasure Lantern” symbolizing wealth and prosperity taking flight. The second event is scheduled for February 8 at Pingxi Junior High School, where “Wishing Lanterns” featuring blessings in many languages from around the world will be released. The finale on February 14 at Shifen Square will feature adorable and heartwarming “Yuán Zǎi Sky Lanterns.” Each Pingxi event plans to release 10 waves of lanterns, totaling 4,300 lanterns across the three events.

 

Dates: February 8, 14

Locations: Pingxi Junior High School, Shifen Square

The 2014 Taoyuan Lantern Festival will run from February 8 to 16, themed “Longtan Greets the God of Wealth.” A 12-meter-tall God of Wealth lantern will debut at Longtan Pond, known for its scenic lotus ponds. The main lantern display combines water dance, light shows, and a synchronized fireworks show, creating a dazzling atmosphere at the pond venue. In addition, the festival features ten special lantern zones, including a secondary lantern area, artists' zone, corporate-sponsored lanterns, the “Wow Zone,” lanterns from 13 townships, bridge lanterns, temple prayer lantern seas, interactive installations, and corner art creations. The Wow Zone includes a dreamy world with cute scenes, and a playful cartoon characters area showcasing beloved classic animated figures. The romantic love interaction area ties into Valentine’s Day with interactive photo lantern setups. The Dragon Boat Park Water Lantern Zone features uniquely designed dragon boats carrying various themed lanterns on Longtan Pond, creating a one-of-a-kind water lantern festival in Taoyuan.

 

Dates: February 8–16

Location: Longtan Pond, Taoyuan County