By MOOK Scenic Spots Editorial Team
The “West District Carnival Grand Parade” is another highlight of this year’s Taipei Lantern Festival, kicking off on February 11. It showcases local elements of Ximending—“people, crowds, chickens, and energy”—highlighting the district’s unique culture, such as youth fashion trends, local delicacies favored by tourists, Year of the Rooster-themed decorations, and sports events from the Universiade, all of which will be featured on elaborately designed floats joining the parade. Road closures will begin around noon on the 11th to allow for parade formation and the movement of large floats. The parade will officially start at 6:00 PM from the intersection of Section 1, Zhonghua Road, and Wuchang Street. Performances by various groups will also take place on the street starting at 5:00 PM, so visitors can head to the area early to enjoy the pre-parade shows.
On February 11, the West District Carnival Grand Parade will feature special floats including pineapple buns, star fruit ice, and shrimp hand roll sushi. (Photo provided by Taipei City Government Tourism and Travel Bureau)
Starting at noon on the day of the parade, roads along Zhonghua Road and Chengdu Road will be closed progressively. Spectators can enjoy the carnival parade performances on the eastbound express lane of Zhonghua Road and both sides of Chengdu Road. Those wishing to experience the largest-scale parade in the western part of the city are advised to arrive early to secure a good spot and join this rare western district event.
The parade procession will stretch 700 meters long, with over 1,600 performers and technical staff in total. (Photo provided by Taipei City Government Tourism and Travel Bureau)
Ximending has always been a hub of trendsetting culture. Popular items among young people such as stylish sneakers and bags, as well as local favorites like pineapple buns, star fruit ice, and shrimp hand roll sushi, have been transformed into eye-catching floats under the creative direction of the Paper Windmill Theatre. The parade will also feature an as-yet-unrevealed Universiade float standing over 8 meters tall and an 10-meter-tall floating balloon character “Super Chicken.”
The 700-meter-long parade consists of 65 formations made up of 41 large and small floats and performance groups, with over 1,600 performers and technical staff in total. Prior to departure, 50 Harley-Davidson motorcycles will cruise the city to kick off the festivities. Among the floats, the “West District Story” float is 17 meters long, the “Solar Flare Rooster” stands 8.5 meters tall, and the “Lin Mo Niang” float will feature performances by anime groups. In addition to performances by Taipei City student bands, cheer squads, military bands, street dance groups, indie bands, and traditional performance troupes, a group of new residents from Changhua will also make a special trip north, joined by an international team from South Africa—making this an impressive and powerful lineup.
Parade viewing map. (Photo provided by Taipei City Government Tourism and Travel Bureau)
The grand parade will assemble at Fuxing Elementary School on Section 1, Zhonghua Road, at 6:00 PM on the 11th and depart from the intersection of Wuchang Street. The route will pass through Chengdu Road and Kangding Road. Extensive traffic controls and road closures will be in place that day, so participants are strongly encouraged to use public transportation.
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