2015 New Taipei City Happy Christmas Town – Cartoon Star Balloons Fill the Sky

Photos and text provided by the New Taipei City Government Tourism and Travel Bureau

The “Happy New Taipei Balloon Parade” of the 2015 New Taipei City Happy Christmas Town kicked off in full swing today (Dec. 6)!The “OPEN!” family and the globally popular cartoon channel “Adventure Time – Finn & Jake,” two major cartoon star families, made their first-ever joint parade appearance in New Taipei, drawing crowds of children and adults eager to catch a glimpse of these iconic characters. Camera flashes lit up the scene non-stop as the joyful Christmas atmosphere instantly enveloped the entire city. New Taipei City Deputy Mayor Hou Yu-i led the event, stating that the balloon parade carnival not only provides a city-level performance stage but also, more importantly, connects and engages surrounding schools, communities, and external businesses through this event. It injects unlimited creative energy, making New Taipei City an even more charming and future-oriented international metropolis.

▲ New Taipei City Deputy Mayor Hou Yu-i leads the balloon parade carnival.

Cartoon stars and super-cute child stars gather in New Taipei, sending joy levels through the roof

The event kicked off with the “OPEN!” family, super-cute child star Wu Ruotong, and artist Chen Mengchen, who joined the parade lineup for the first time, leading the way. The wildly popular group“Left and Right” performed their adorable singing and dancing routines for the second consecutive yearand this year specially arranged to join the fun with the Christmas floral girls during the parade. In addition,this year’s“OPEN!” familybuilt on last year’s wildly successful popularity,by deploying an even stronger lineup of five beloved star characters: OPEN 小将, Xiao Tao, Xiao Zhu Lun, Xiao Rou Zong, and Barcode Cat. The parade also featured the addition of star balloons such as SpongeBob, Running Gingerbread Man, Finn & Jake, making the procession even more festive and vibrant

as if leading the public on a magnificent and fantastical adventure.
Local teams pulled out all the stops for spectacular performances that wowed the crowd

Performances by local groups from New Taipei were equally impressive, including the MacKay Memorial Hospital College of Nursing and Management cheerleading squad, which won first place at the national championships; the Banqiao High School marching band, the oldest in the region; the Danfeng High School drum team, which has earned numerous awards; and the Haishan High School drill team, known for its impressive marksmanship displays. Many other local New Taipei groups gave their all, dazzling the crowd and earning loud applause. There was also the Xizhi Zhangshu Elementary School samba drum team, featuring indigenous-themed costumes and highly rhythmic beats, getting everyone to sway to the music. The Beixin Elementary School Latin dance troupe offered a brilliant interpretation of the unique charm of Latin dance. Another highlight was the nearly 100 kindergarten kids from Huiwen Children's Leader Color Guard Band – Taiwan’s only kindergarten marching color guard band and one of the youngest yet most impressive acts in the parade.

OPEN Family's Exclusive Drum and Bugle Corps Makes Grand Finale Debuthttp://tour.ntpc.gov.tw
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