On New Year’s Eve, visitors to the serene Sun Moon Lake in Nantou can look forward to more than just tranquility — the “Sun Moon Lake Happiness 99 New Year Art Festival” kicks off with the “Checheng Railway Music Concert.” For nearly two months, this art and music festival spans the Checheng Railway Cultural Park, Shuishe, and Ita Thao areas. The program includes railway music concerts in Checheng Town, the 2nd Sun Moon Lake Busker Selection, the National Top 10 Buskers Competition, and creative dance drama performances. In short, the entire Sun Moon Lake area is brimming with artistic energy, offering performances every day.
The “Sun Moon Lake Happiness 99 New Year Art Festival” opens with a railway music concert in Checheng. Spanning nearly two months, the art and music events cover the Checheng Railway Cultural Park, Shuishe, and Ita Thao. Activities include railway music concerts in the town of Checheng, the 2nd Sun Moon Lake Street Performer Auditions, the National Top 10 Street Performers Selection, and creative dance drama showcases — making the entire Sun Moon Lake area come alive with performances daily.
For the New Year’s Eve gala, Sun Moon Lake takes a cultural and artistic approach, inviting top music performance groups to play at Ita Thao Pier. To celebrate the upcoming opening of the Sun Moon Lake Cable Car, and with the enthusiastic sponsorship of the Formosan Aboriginal Culture Village and the Sun Moon Lake Wenwu Temple, fireworks will be set off for three consecutive nights from December 31 to January 2, 2010. The Sun Moon Lake National Scenic Area Administration has specially created an “owl”-shaped firework that will make its first appearance, along with fireworks shaped like the Chinese characters for “Sun” and “Moon” representing the lake, as well as those resembling the Formosan landlocked salmon and yachts. In total, over 30,000 low-, medium-, and high-altitude fireworks will light up the night, showcasing the stunning beauty of Sun Moon Lake.
The Sun Moon Lake National Scenic Area Administration has also prepared six special gifts for visitors, including an exquisitely designed “Tiger Year 3D Photo Frame Blessing Card,” “Sun Moon Good Fortune Blessing Amulets” made by Shuili Snake Kiln, and a “Map Magic Headscarf” featuring the 14 hiking trails of Sun Moon Lake. To collect these beautiful souvenirs, visitors first need to pick up a “Rediscover Sun Moon Lake Travel Passport” at the Shuishe Visitor Center. By using the stamp pages included in the passport to visit trails, pray at temples, or make purchases, they can collect stamps and redeem the souvenirs.
From December 31 to January 3, the Ita Thao Pier will also host a “Taiwan Quality Agricultural and Fishery Products Promotion and Sales Exhibition,” where visitors can sample local products and order beautifully packaged gifts — perfect for Lunar New Year presents. For more details on the “Sun Moon Lake Happiness 99 New Year Art Festival,” please visit the official website of the Sun Moon Lake National Scenic Area Administration.
Further reading: The Hidden Gem of Northeastern Japan – Mount Bandai (Provided by Tripass Attractions)
