Summer Jazz, Rock & Roll: Seven Major Music Festivals Across Taiwan

By MOOK Scenic Spots Editorial Team

The most passionate summer has arrived, and besides being the peak season for travel and consumption, numerous music festivals are springing up all over Taiwan. From lively rock to refined jazz, and even ethnic music from around the globe, there’s a rich variety of genres to enjoy. The festivities run from June through October. Below are seven major music festivals across Taiwan that travelers can add to their summer itineraries, making the hot season a memorable one with musical feasts.

Moonlight. Sea Concert – East Coast Land Art Festival
The third East Coast Land Art Festival grandly opened in May. The “Moonlight. Sea Theme Concert,” featuring the unique moonlit seascape of the East Coast, uses natural landscapes as its stage backdrop. The dynamic displays of natural phenomena—rising moons, setting suns, rising tides, and receding waves—metaphorically embody the leisure philosophy and aesthetic style of life on the East Coast that the art festival aims to convey.
 
[Info]
Venue: No. 25, Xinyi Village Road, Chenggong Township, Taitung County (Duli Visitor Center)
Event Dates: 6/10, 6/11, 7/9, 7/10, 8/8, 8/9 — six days from 16:00 to 21:00
East Coast Land Art Festival Free Shuttle Bus Schedule:
Departure
15:00 Taitung Dingdong Bus – Hailine Taitung Transfer Station (direct to venue)
15:30 Taitung Dingdong Bus – Hailine Taitung Transfer Station (direct to venue)
Return
21:00 Duli Visitor Center (direct to Taitung Transfer Station)
21:30 Duli Visitor Center (direct to Taitung Transfer Station)
*Bus pick-up address: No. 369, Tiehua Road, Taitung City

Taipei Riverside Music Festival
This year’s “Taipei Riverside Music Festival” takes “Youthful Dance Tunes” as its theme, carefully curating cross-generational golden hits from the 1930s to the millennium. From street performances of Nanyin music and the folk song era to tribal hits, visitors are invited to reminisce about their youth along the Taipei riverside. This year also features the specially chosen theme song 〈The Fool on the Riverbank〉, familiar to those born in the 1950s and 60s. The original singer, Wan Wan (Jin Zhijuan), will perform the song live again on August 26 during the “Dadaocheng Lovers’ Day.”

[Info]
Event Period: June 17, 2017 – August 26, 2017
Venue: Dadaocheng Wharf, Machangding Memorial Park, Guting Wedding Park, Riverside Park, and Dajia Riverside Park
Main Activities: Timeless youth dance tunes, cultural and creative markets, food trucks, and creative themed merchandise.

Tamsui Fisherman’s Stage – Summer Original Music Festival
The Tamsui Fisherman’s Stage, an outdoor original music hub created by New Taipei City at Tamsui Fisherman’s Wharf, makes a strong comeback this year. Riding on last year’s praise and audience anticipation, it’s set to ignite Tamsui once again this summer. From July 8 to August 20, every Saturday and Sunday evening from 6:00 to 8:00 PM, over 24 independent bands and original singers will take the stage at what is touted as Taiwan’s most beautiful outdoor performance venue, delivering passionate and spectacular shows.