Beautiful lanterns can be seen all over Taiwan—from north to central to southern regions ! Here are 10 early-starting Lantern Festival events across the country

▲ Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival in New Taipei City. (Photo / Provided by New Taipei City Government)

Travel Center / Comprehensive Report

The Lantern Festival is approaching, and lantern festival activities across Taiwan are kicking off one after another ! To pray for good fortune in the new year, Taiwanese people flock to lantern festivals to admire the beautiful lights and join in the fun, enjoying the warm atmosphere on the streets. And each region’s lantern festival has its own unique features,ETtoday E Travel Cloud has compiled a list of 10 lantern zoneswhere you can enjoy stunning lantern displays from now until mid-March in Chiayi, Tainan, Hualien, Nantou, Kaohsiung, Taichung, Taipei, New Taipei, Changhua, and Taoyuan—across Taiwan !

1. Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival in New Taipei City
The 2016 Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival kicks off with a bang on February 11, 14, and 22 ! The Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival has become an important celebration during Taiwan’s Lantern Festival and was recently selected by National Geographic as one of the “Top 10 Winter Travel Destinations in the World.” It has also been chosen by the Tourism Bureau of the Ministry of Transportation and Communications as one of the international representative events in the “Taiwan Tourism Calendar,” and was rated by the renowned American travel channel Discovery as the “World’s Second Largest Festival Carnival.”

Time: February 11, February 14, February 22 (three events in total)
Locations: Jing Tong Elementary School, Pingxi Junior High School, and Shifen Square

▲ Illustration of the first 3D light show in Chiayi area. (Photo / From the event official website)

2. Chiayi Countdown Lantern Festival
The Chiayi County Government is hosting the “Palace Museum Opens Chiayi Gates, Celebrate Lantern Art” festival, which will run for 66 days, accompanying the public from New Year’s Eve, through Lunar New Year, all the way to the Lantern Festival. The festival consists of two parts: lantern displays and performance events, featuring eight major themed lantern zones distributed around the front of the County Government, Prince Boulevard, and the surrounding areas of the Southern Branch of the National Palace Museum, with themes based on Chiayi’s local specialties and landscapes.

Time: Now until 2016/02/22
Locations: In front of Chiayi County Government, Prince Boulevard, and the surrounding areas of the Southern Branch of the National Palace Museum

▲ Tainan Yanshui Moonlit Port Lantern Festival. (Photo / From Tainan City Government Cultural Affairs Bureau website)

3. Tainan Moonlit Port Lantern Festival
The Tainan Moonlit Port Lantern Festival kicked off on January 30, 2016, with the theme “Moonlight Treasure Box, Illuminating Today’s Port,” showcasing the charm of Yanshui. The entire lantern zone covers the Moonlit Port area, featuring a record-breaking 60 main lanterns. The exhibition is divided into four main themes: “Bridges and Moonlit Nights” reflecting Yanshui’s past, “Moonlit Blooming Hearts” echoing the present, “Moonlit Port Good Fortune” connecting traditional festivals with contemporary art, and “Parting Clouds to Reveal Port Colors” symbolizing the future.

Time: 2016/01/30 to 2016/02/28
Lighting time: 17:30 to 23:00
Location: Yanshui Old Street (Qiaonan Street, Qiaonan Li, Yanshui District, Tainan City)

▲ Hualien Pacific Lantern Festival. (Photo / Provided by Hualien County Government)

4. Hualien Pacific Lantern Festival
The Hualien Pacific Lantern Festival, which began on January 30 ! In addition to tens of thousands of red lanterns lighting up the main roads of 13 townships in Hualien, there are also two main lantern zones set up in the Sixth Redevelopment Zone and Lotus Pond, creating the latest technology-based water-and-land dynamic lantern festival. Highlights include a spectacular water light tech show, a blue humpback whale light show, and the highly popular “Red-Faced Duck” 3D projection water dance show. The event attracts millions of visitors every year and has become one of Taiwan’s most famous lantern festivals.

Time: 2016/01/30 to 2016/02/29, daily from 10:00 to 21:30 (closed on New Year’s Eve).
Locations: Sixth Redevelopment Zone and Lotus Pond Scenic Area, Hualien City.
Opening and lighting ceremony: January 30 at 19:30, with simultaneous openings at both lantern zones.

▲ Nantou Lantern Festival. (Photo / From Nantou County Government)

5. Nantou Lantern Festival
The Nantou Lantern Festival is being held in Jiji Township, with lantern displays spread across the town center, from Jiji Railway Station, the Jiji Mini Train pedestrian path, Wuchang Temple, Bazhang Street, Huanshan Street to the Old Street of Jiji. In addition to the main lantern “Prosperity in Nantou” which will be placed in front of Wuchang Temple, there are also 12 other lantern zones including Monkey Welcome, Light Avenue, Glory Sky, Hundred Trades Prosper Village, and Lantern Art Town.

Time: 02/06/2016～02/29/2016
Venue: Jiji Holiday Plaza, Jiji Township, Nantou County, as well as Jiji, Zhuoshui, and Checheng train stations
Main Lantern Location: Wuchang Temple, Jiji

▲Kaohsiung Lantern Festival. (Photo / Provided by Kaohsiung City Government)

6. Kaohsiung Lantern Festival Arts Festival
The 2016 Kaohsiung Lantern Festival Arts Festival was held on February 10th, themed around the Year of the Monkey and spanning 12 days. In addition to unique lantern displays, the event features lively water theater performances, riverside fireworks, and dazzling light sculptures. The lantern displays are located at six venues: City Light Corridor, both banks of Love River, Gangshan Riverside Park, Qishan City area, Fo Guang Shan, and Gushan.

Time: 02/10/2016～02/22/2016
Venue: Both banks of Love River (from Kaohsiung Bridge to Qixian Bridge)

7. Central Taiwan Fengyuan Lantern Festival
The annual Central Taiwan Fengyuan Lantern Festival kicks off from February 17th to February 29th, offering a spectacular, delicious, and entertaining experience. In addition to admiring a variety of dazzling themed lanterns, street performances are one of the highlights, with special areas set up in the Fengyuan Lantern Zone for local street artists from Taichung to perform.

Time: 02/17/2016～02/29/2016
Venue: Huludun Park, Fengyuan District, Taichung City

▲Taipei Lantern Festival unveils the adorable “Lele” mini lantern. (Photo / Courtesy of Taipei City Government Civil Affairs Bureau)

8. Taipei Lantern Festival
The annual Taipei Lantern Festival kicks off on February 20th, presenting a 10-day lantern art feast at Yuanshan Park of the Taipei Flower Expo. The main visual theme features an adorable mother-and-child monkey under the starry sky. Taipei City has collaborated with all 12 administrative districts to create uniquely themed lantern zones, transforming Taipei into a grand lantern-viewing park. During the event, the cute monkey mini lantern “Lele” will also be given out.

Time: 02/20/2016～02/29/2016
Venue: Yuanshan Park of the Taipei Flower Expo

9. Changhua Lantern Festival
The “2016 Taiwan Changhua Lantern Festival” national lantern competition, organized by Changhua City Government, will be exhibited at the Changhua Art Museum on February 20th, with this year’s competition themed around the Year of the Monkey. As the Lantern Festival approaches, residents of Changhua who wish to see lanterns are encouraged to visit the Changhua Art Museum to admire the contestants’ wonderful creations.

Time: 02/20/2016～03/06/2016
Venue: Changhua Art Museum (No. 542, Section 2, Zhongshan Road, Changhua City)

▲Glass lantern “Cosmic Tower” (Photo / Screenshot from Taoyuan City Government)

10. Taoyuan Taiwan Lantern Festival
The 2016 Taiwan Lantern Festival was held in Taoyuan City for the first time, kicking off on February 22nd in front of Taoyuan HSR Station. It features six major lantern zones, with the main lantern and mini lanterns designed with themes from Journey to the West, combining LED lights to create a 26-meter-tall Monkey King. The festival also debuts the glass lantern “Cosmic Tower,” the first-ever lantern primarily designed using glass as its main material.

Time: 2016/02/22～2016/03/06
Venue: Areas around Taoyuan Qingpu HSR Station

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