Ring in the New Year at Taipei City Hall with great giveaways and performances by Mayday and Grasshopper!

By Wei Ruyu, compiled and reported

This year’s “Taipei’s Most Exciting New Year’s Eve” countdown party, hosted by Taipei City Government, will feature Claudia Yen and the newly crowned Best Variety Show Hosts at the Golden Bell Awards—HowHow & Lu Chia-chen (Hao Jiao Xiang Qi)—keeping the public company from 7:00 PM until 1:00 AM the next day in front of Taipei City Hall. In collaboration with the world’s largest video platform, YouTube, the event will be live-streamed in its entirety for the first time.

This year’s “Taipei’s Most Exciting New Year’s Eve” countdown party boasts three highlights: “biggest stars,” “most exciting,” and “best giveaways.” The star-studded lineup kicks off with Taiwan’s ten-time New Year’s Eve headliners—Mayday—bringing the heat, while Grasshopper makes their first-ever appearance in Taiwan. Most notably, Show Lo will bring his spectacular “Dance Without Limits” concert experience live to the countdown stage. Other performers include MP Magic Power, Ding Dang, Da Mouth, Brown Sugar, Stanly Huang, Yuki Yen, Eric Zhang, Yoga Lin, Liu Ziqian, and Yen Chueh, taking turns to deliver a thrilling six-hour show. The program will feature an electronic dance party format, getting everyone on their feet from the start, and for the first time, it will be synchronized with Taipei 101’s light show, hoping to get tens of thousands of spectators dancing together with the iconic skyscraper for the “most exciting” New Year’s Eve ever.

Additionally, just by showing up at the event, you’ll have a chance to grab some “best” free giveaways. In addition to the high-tech LED light-up word sticks, the event will also offer 49,000 freebies including inflatable sticks, red envelope packets, hand warmers, and light-up pens—what a great deal!

Taipei City Government announced that there will be three phases of traffic control on the day of the countdown party, December 31. The public is urged to leave home early and make use of public transportation to reach the venue. Those taking the MRT are advised to get off at Taipei City Hall Station, either at the front or rear exit, and walk to the event site.

For more detailed event information and transportation updates, please visit the official website of the “2012 Taipei’s Most Exciting New Year’s Eve” countdown party: www.tvbs.com.tw/project/tvbs_g/activity/2012_taipei. The countdown party will be broadcast live on TVBS Joy Channel (Channel 42) from 7:00 PM on December 31, 2011, to 1:00 AM on January 1, 2012. The YouTube homepage will link to the live countdown party channel for simultaneous streaming, and HitFM radio network will also provide a live simulcast.