The 2018 Lantern Festival event is coming to Chiayi!\nA complete guide to Taiwan’s lantern displays nationwide

Edited by Helen from Mom’s Journal

Right after the Lunar New Year holiday comes the Lantern Festival. This year’s annual Taiwan Lantern Festival is being held in Chiayi, with the festival area spanning over 50 hectares and featuring a comprehensive display that integrates “land, water, and air.” A variety of activities have already kicked off during the holiday period. In addition to lantern zone information, the official website also incorporates tourist attractions to help you plan a one-day lantern-viewing trip, making for a fulfilling Lantern Festival celebration!

Featured Themes:

Main Lantern – Loyalty and Righteousness Born of Heaven

Image courtesy of the official website

The year 2018 is the Year of the Dog in the Chinese zodiac. The main lantern is named “Loyalty and Righteousness Born of Heaven.” Its design features the smiling face of an indigenous child and a loyal Taiwanese dog standing atop the sea of clouds on Alishan Mountain, symbolizing looking back at the past, standing firm in the present, and gazing toward the future—showcasing Taiwan to the world and welcoming visitors from all regions. Additionally, it utilizes a lighting circuit system of over 20,000 sets and high-efficiency full-color LED lights to create a dazzling and magnificent visual spectacle!

Year of the Dog Mini Lantern

Image courtesy of the official website

This year’s lantern festival also incorporates the historical, artistic, and cultural elements of the National Palace Museum Southern Branch. The lantern design adopts a patchwork picture-book style, transforming mountains, the sea, the Alishan Forest Railway, indigenous totems, and the blue-and-white porcelain of the National Palace Museum Southern Branch into spots on the dog’s body, creating an adorable and endearing mini lantern that looks like a cute toy.

Transportation Information:

High-Speed Rail

Image courtesy of the official website

Taiwan Railways Administration

Image courtesy of the official website

Driving

Image courtesy of the official website

Official Website:https://www.taiwan.net.tw/2018taiwanlantern

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Image courtesy of the official website

The main lantern in the Ximen Exhibition Area, “Magical Happiness Dog,” is formed by three adorable Taiwanese dogs holding hands in a circle, representing the integration of local Taiwanese values and generational heritage. It also aims to inspire everyone to “go all out” in the pursuit of happiness!

The Beimen Exhibition Area features 20 Taiwanese dog-shaped shadow lanterns surrounding Beimen Square. These dog shadows change with the lights, displaying various cute actions such as chasing, running, playing, and jumping. Visitors can get up close to these 20 shadow lanterns, take photos with them, and share on social media. From a bird’s-eye view, the 20 dog-shaped shadow lanterns encircling Beimen form the shape of a giant, adorable dog face.

Transportation Information:

Official Website:https://2018.lanternfestival.taipei/zh/

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To allow the public to immerse themselves in the festive atmosphere of the Lantern Festival, the Taoyuan Lantern Festival has been held for 15 years. To promote the traditional custom of welcoming the God of Wealth in Longtan, the festival was held in Longtan last year. Due to renovation work on the Longtan Pond Suspension Bridge, the 2018 Taoyuan Lantern Festival will take place in four areas along the Nanxi River: Sankong Park in Taoyuan, Xingyue Bridge in Guishan, Zhumeng Bridge in Luzhu, and the Beautiful Bridge in Bianzhou. The festival will feature eye-catching lantern decorations inspired by local characteristics and landscapes.

Main Light – Snoopy in Taoyuan

Transportation Information:

Official Website:http://www.2018lanternfestival.tycg.gov.tw/

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The 2018 Central Taiwan Lantern Festival was held from February 24 to March 11 at Taichung Park and the Harbor Art Center. The main lights were themed “The Male Dog Looks Ahead – Prosperity for Central Taiwan” and “The Female Dog Guards – Auspicious Blossoms of the Flower City,” creating two complementary main lights. The design was inspired by the image and character of the “Taiwan Dog,” expressing hopes that Taichung can protect its foundations and build a livable city while also looking forward courageously to create a shared future.

Both lantern zones were illuminated from 18:00 to 22:00 each evening. In response to the 2018 World Flora Exposition, the festival pioneered the use of fresh flowers to create a plant wall as the base for the main lights. Combined with modern light and sound technology, the lights rotated 360 degrees, not only dazzling but also fragrant, bringing the main lights to life.

Transportation Information:

Driving Yourself

Taichung Park Lantern Zone (Address: No. 37-1, Park Rd., North Dist., Taichung City)

(1) Take National Freeway 1, exit at Daya, turn right onto Section 1, Zhonghua Rd., turn left onto Section 2, Zhongqing Rd., then Section 1, Zhongqing Rd., Park Rd., to the event venue
(2) Take National Freeway 1, exit at Wuzhong Interchange on Freeway 74, turn onto Section 5, Zhonghua Rd., turn left onto Section 3, Jianguo N. Rd., then Section 3, Lin Sen Rd., turn right onto Ziyou Rd., to the event venue

Harbor Art Center Lantern Zone (Address: No. 21, Zhongzhen Rd., Qingshui Dist., Taichung City)

(1) Take National Freeway 3, exit at Shalu, go straight onto Mingde Rd., turn right onto Special Road No. 1 (elevated), go straight onto Section 10, Zhongqing Rd., turn left onto Zhongzhen Rd., to the event venue
(2) Take West Coast Expressway, exit at Qingshui on Freeway 61, go onto Zhongqing Rd., turn right onto Zhongzhen Rd., to the event venue 

By Bus

Taichung Railway Station ↔ Taichung Park: Buses 1, 5, 6, 9, 11, 12, 25, 55, 65, 67, 82, 105, 108, 901
THSR Wuri Station ↔ Taichung Park: Free THSR shuttle bus heading toward China Medical University, or buses 26, 158, 159
Taichung Railway Station ↔ Taichung Harbor Art Center: Buses 303, 304
Qingshui Railway Station ↔ Taichung Harbor Art Center: Buses 111, 303, 304

★Official Website: http://www.2018taichunglantern.com/

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The “2018 Kaohsiung Lantern Festival” was held along both banks and waters (from Kaohsiung Bridge to Qixian Bridge) of the Love River. In addition to lighting up both sides of the river with traditional cloth lanterns and creative specialty lanterns, the festival leveraged the waterfront features to enhance the laser light show effects, launching the Water Theater Magic Light Fantasy Show. The grandest event, the “Mass Lantern Parade – Parade of Light,” was held on March 2, featuring over 50 parade groups and floats, with domestic and international performance troupes competing and performing together. The event showcased diverse themes and a wide range of teams, with performances integrating exotic styles, drama, and dance to create a festival highlight.

Transportation Information:

Official website:http://www.2018khl.com/

Recommended itinerary:

The "2018 Moon Tide Port Lantern Festival" is organized by the Tainan City Government, implemented by the Tainan City Government Bureau of Cultural Affairs, and planned and produced by Urban Art Studio. It has always been a key feature of the Moon Tide Port Lantern Festival to introduce the beauty of light into the local landscape, creating a unique land art atmosphere. This year’s edition, themed “A Date,” invites contemporary artists from both domestic and international backgrounds in technology and new media art to participate. Through light installations, the festival combines the local culture and scenery of Yanshui in Tainan, romantically connecting with audiences through art.

Transportation information:

Official website:https://www.2018yuejinlanternfestival.com/

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