The Donghe Valley is fragrant with oranges as the 2010 Tangerine Festival kicks off

In the early spring, simple and unspoiled eastern Taiwan not only breathes in the fresh greenery of the countryside but is also now filled with the subtle scent of citrus fruits. The Donghe Township Office in Taitung County holds the annual "Tangerine Festival" every March. This year, it officially kicked off on March 13th. Unlike previous years' formats, this edition of the Tangerine Festival allows the public to enter orchards and pick fruit for as long as three weeks, giving everyone a full chance to enjoy the fun of fruit picking.

The "2010 Donghe Tangerine Festival" runs from March 13 to April 5. The opening ceremony was held at the Donghe Old Bridge Recreation Area in Donghe Township, starting at 08:30 in the morning with a lively atmosphere. The rich program includes unlimited free tangerine juice, DIY tangerine juicing (participants may bring their own juicers and containers to take home the juice they make), parent-child fruit picking fun, a Donghe Bridge sketching and painting competition, upbeat music and dancing, tangerine rolling games, cultural and artistic performances, sapling giveaways, prize quizzes, lucky draw activities, and more. Many prizes were given out on-site, and there were also over 50 food and agricultural product booths set up by the home economics class, offering both delicious treats and goods to take home.

To promote Donghe’s tangerine produce and boost farmers’ income, this year’s Tangerine Festival specially invited farmers from the Beiyuan area to join the "Parent-Child Fruit Picking Fun" activity. A total of seven farmers signed up to open their own orchards so visitors could experience fruit picking firsthand. Orchard visits are available throughout the Tangerine Festival period. The township office has created special activity guide maps for visitors to pick up, making it easy to follow the map and signs to reach the orchards.

The tangerines abundantly produced in Donghe are a type of citrus also known as "late oranges." The tangerine harvest season runs annually from March to the end of April. In early spring, when flowers are blooming and nature is vibrant, a trip to the orchards offers not only bountiful fruit picking but also a chance to explore the rustic towns of eastern Taiwan. For detailed information on the "2010 Donghe Tangerine Festival," you can visit the Donghe Township Office’s official website.

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Further reading: Handpicked picks – Mandarin oranges from Sanyi Township, Miaoli (provided by Tripass Attractions)