Illuminate the light of Taipei — continuing the romantic glow of Lyon’s Festival of Lights

Romantic Christmas lights are sweeping across the streets of Taipei one by one, with the vibrant illuminations in major department stores and malls heralding the arrival of the deep winter in December. In the lanes and alleys of the East District, a light feast officially joins the year-end carnival, lighting up Taipei’s nighttime streets with pure radiance.

This year marks the second edition of the “2009 Light Festival: The Light of the City, Starting from the Corners,” continuing last year’s theme of “candlelight.” It blends the fashionable functionality of the East District’s department store and shopping district with elements such as dining, art, design, music, performances, fashion, and humanities. It’s a unique arcade party, inviting the public to join in the celebration and collectively light up tens of thousands of candles, creating a fresh look for the old streets and warming up the East District.

The “2009 Light Festival: The Light of the City, Starting from the Corners” will take place on the evening of December 18 from 19:00 to 21:30 on the west side arcade of Fuxing South Road between Civic Boulevard and Bade Road. Spanning 300 meters, this arcade party is organized by the Chungho Group, which calls on businesses along the street and local residents to come together and light the candles. The inspiration for this light festival comes from the Lyon Festival of Lights (Fête des Lumières) in France, which originally began with candlelight in individual windows and grew into an international city celebration.

Linking up with surrounding businesses, the light festival invites DJ Liu Xuan, Tizzy Bac, and the Earth-Loving Culture and Creativity Association (featuring Fujii Shunzo’s jazz band + South American national performer Roberto Zayas) to perform at the light festival concert. Other highlights include “Song of Light” by Wang Yujun, West African tribal drumming, Orange’s modern kung fu fire dance, American tap dance, Tsugaru shamisen folk music, a Japanese Omotesenke tea ceremony performance, the Shensheng Indian music ensemble, and a silent street theater in the arcade. Beyond these unique performances, the festival also showcases contemporary art exhibitions, offering a different taste of Taipei’s urban charm and atmosphere.

“2009 Light Festival: The Light of the City, Starting from the Corners”
Organizer: Chungho Lifestyle Development
Event time: December 18, 2009, 19:00–21:30 pm
Event location: West side arcade of Section 1, Fuxing South Road, Taipei City | from Civic Boulevard intersection to Bade Road intersection
Event website: act.roodo.com/festival-of-light

Further reading: Nighttime illumination at Kyoto’s Kiyomizu-dera Temple (provided by Tripass Attractions)