2018 Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival – A Mid-Autumn Celebration of Wishing with Thousands of Lights

Text by MOOK Scenic Spots House / Photos by New Taipei City Government, Tourism Bureau, Ministry of Transportation and Communications
 
The “2018 New Taipei City Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival” was held on September 24, Mid-Autumn Festival, at Pingxi Junior High School. To ensure smoother traffic at the event site, comprehensive traffic control was implemented that day, and the organizers also arranged shuttle buses that the public could take from three stops: Taipei Zoo, Shiding Interchange, and Ruifang Railway Station.

According to the New Taipei City Tourism Bureau, the annual Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival attracts a large number of domestic and international visitors. This year, it was voted by a well-known website as Taiwan’s 2018 “Most Recommended Cultural Activity for International Travelers” and was also listed by an American magazine as one of the “40 Things to Do Before You Turn 40.”

The organizers also encourage the use of public transportation. Shuttle buses will depart at 9:00 AM for the outbound journey. The public can use electronic ticketing or pay with coins, while the return shuttle bus ride down the mountain is free of charge.

This year, to promote the coexistence of local traditional culture and environmental conservation during the Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival, the New Taipei City Government launched a recycling-for-rewards program. By bringing specific types and quantities of recyclables to the Environmental Protection Bureau booth, participants could exchange them for EasyCard top-up credits or daily necessities.

The event also featured hourly recycling-themed fun activities such as “Picasso Genius” and “Eco Nine-Grid.” Participants who successfully completed the challenges could win an EasyCard or a NT$50 EasyCard top-up.