Taiwan Lantern Festival is the biggest festival in Taiwan and it is held on the 15th day of the Lunar New Year. Fathers Day celebrates fatherhood and male parenting on different dates worldwide. in China as an essential warfare and military protection tool. If you havent gathered so far, Taiwanese people really like pyrotechnics! You can enroll in an elementary spoken Taiwanese course or watch tutorials online to get familiar with the language. Lion Dancing is an art form typically associated with Lunar New Year. See more information in my guide to the best theme parks in Taiwan. Read about more July events in my July in Taiwan guide. The official theme is Light Up the Future. According to the event organizers, Light(ing) Up the Future is the Taiwan Lantern Festival, which originated in Taipei. Look out for your first newsletter in your inbox soon! The lanterns depict images such as historical figures, birds, or of the theme determined each year. For more information about this and related events, see the festivals Facebook page. Exceptions included the Yanshui Beehive Fireworks Festival () in Taiwan's south and Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival () in the north. If youre feeling the dj-vu, itll be because the 2021 festival took place in December after it was postponed twice last year. Compared with other Chinese regions, the Lantern Festival in Taiwan has its own characteristics. To drive the evil spirits out, locals scared them off with fireworks. The entire family can get involved in this fun celebration, especially during the holiday season. Traditionally, the 16 days from Lunar New Year's Eve until the Lantern Festival each had a special celebration activity. Just as the staging of the festival brings together a massive glowing collection of lantern lights into a singular whole, every household spread through the basin contributes its own light of hope. See more information about March events in Taiwan in my guide to spending March in Taiwan. One of the biggest metal events of the year is Heartown Music Festival () in Taichung. In mid-November, a lovely rose exhibition is held at Xinsheng Park in Taipei.In late November and early December, head to the Shilin Residence (the former residence of President Chiang Kai-Shek) in Shilin District, Taipei, to see a beautiful display of chrysanthemum flowers. The Lantern Festival is celebrated annually on the 15th day of the first lunar month to mark the grand finale of the Chinese New Year celebrations. One of the most impressive festivals in Taiwan is the International Balloon Festival held in Luye, Taitung county every summer. Encyclopaedia Brittanica says: "The Lantern. Lunar New Years Eve, New Years Day, and the next four days are national holidays. Heres Everything You Need to Know, Everything Is Illuminated Taipei During the Lantern Festival, WISH Sustainable Sky Lantern Festival will be returning in 2020, Our Picks For 8 Taiwanese Dramas On Netflix And Disney+ in 2023, The Ultimate Hiking Guide to Yangmingshan National Park, Driving in Taiwan: What Every Visitor Needs to Know, Everything You Need to Know About Getting A Scooter License in Taiwan, A First Timers Guide to Kenting National Park, Strolling Through the Taipei Summer Festival in Dadaocheng, The Sizzling Story of Taiwanese Iron-Plate Steak: A Journey Through Time and Taste, Fly! Exceptions included the Yanshui Beehive Fireworks Festival () in Taiwans south and Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival () in the north. Here, the urban grid will itself be the display stage, with creative lantern works installed in the lanes and alleys, all around the district. The memorial hall building itself will be magically transformed into what is being called the Ultimate Classical Lantern ().The main feature of this area is to combine traditional lantern art with modern high-tech 3D mapping multimedia technology to create a coruscating, sumptuous lighting zone. Note that despite the official event name, there are also follow-on party events from January 1st to the 3rd. But that was for the Year of the Ox, the undoubted highlight of which was a two-story dancing robot bull designed by digital artist Akibo Lee. Today, the original Spring Scream rock music festival no longer takes place. Remember to write your wish on the lanterns. For more events in September, see my guide Taiwan in September. Is midnight 12 am or 12 pm? Our newsletter hand-delivers the best bits to your inbox. The main ones are in Taipei, Taichung, and Tainan. Travel to Outlying islands Taiwan | Taiwan Scene, Actions, Adventure & Sports In Taiwan | Taiwan Scene, Festivals, History & Culture In Taiwan | Taiwan Scene, Art, Urban Exploration & Exhibitions In Taiwan | Taiwan Scene, Unique Experiences For Taiwan Travel | Taiwan Scene, Food & Drink Experience In Taiwan | Taiwan Scene, After 23 Years, Home at Last! The best place to be during the Pingxi Lantern Festival is Shifen Old Street located near Shifen station. The local Pingtung county government has now replaced it with the free Taiwan Music Festival. The music festival usually takes place at a great outdoor venue on Tiger Mountain in Taipei City. Usually held in Taipei, in recent years it has been held in venues across Taiwan. In the meantime, the Taipei City Government has continued with its own large-scale international event, the annual Taipei Lantern Festival. The venues for theCentral Display Zoneare the park area of National Dr. Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall and the nearby plaza in front of Taipei City Hall. Naturally, this years event is taking a culinary route (because when in Shilin), the theme for which is stir-fried lanterns () reportedly a metaphor for the hodgepodge mix of fine arts and technology museums that can be found around this corner of Taipei. From the gorgeous Luye Highland, dozens of hot air balloons take off every morning and afternoon. The Emperor gave in to the request and allowed for the procession to happen. Lantern Festival Observances Showing: While we diligently research and update our holiday dates, some of the information in the table above may be preliminary. Keep your eyes peeled for a variety of events, exhibitions, and performances catered toward children. Lunar New Year (), also commonly referred to in Taiwan as Chinese New Year or Spring Festival () (even though it comes at the peak of winter in Taiwan), is the most important annual holiday in Taiwan, akin to Christmas in Western countries. The Hakka were a nomadic tribe originating in China who now compose 15-20% of the Taiwan population. The rounded shape of the wide Taipei Basin in which the city of Taipei is nestled, was the base inspiration for the orb design. Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Hope does not happen out of thin air, but is born through the joint efforts of everyone who lives on the land., EVENT DATESTrial Operation February 1 to February 4, 2023Official Operation February 5 to February 19, 2023 (15 days), EVENT TIMELanterns Lit 5:00pm 10:00pm (Daily)Monday to Thursday 2:00pm 10:00pmFriday to Sunday 10:00am 10:00pm. Every summer in July or sometimes August, the free Hohaiyan Rock Music Festival () is held on Fulong Beach in Northern Taiwan. The weeks-long observation brings people of Taoism & Buddhism faith together, as they light the lanterns in hopes of a better future. In 1990 the Taiwan Tourism Bureau decided to create a large-scale Lantern Festival party spread over many days. There is usually a major, week-long event and several smaller ones. Dear reader: This article contains links to products and services that I may be compensated for, at no extra cost to you. The attractions will be concentrated in the posh East District () and Xinyi District (), and will include four major lantern display zones with over 300 lantern installation works, as well as the main theme lantern with six other major theme lanterns, spread out over a total area of 168 hectares. Guayin is the Goddess (or Bodhisattva) of Compassion, and she is very popular in Taiwan. It is held once every two years (2022, 2024, etc. . . 2022: February 1~28, Weiwuying and Love River Bay, This page was last edited on 4 March 2023, at 11:30. Making lanterns at home is not as hard as it seems. After the breathtakingly beautiful mass celebration, you might still be lucky to spot some lanterns released into the sky for a week or two. Why do many countries set the clocks back and forth an hour twice a year? The celebrations include a fire-walking ritual, exhibition of important objects, musical and dance performances, and of course, a noisy parade through the neighborhood. All the events related to the pilgrimage are collectively referred to as the Taichung International Matsu Festival. Less commonly, it can take place in early October. They are made out of paper with a wire construction for the fire that lifts the lantern. Tung Blossoms are a white flower whose petals fall to the ground like snow. In the early years, festivals were held in local temples. The Taipei Lantern Festival () is usually held at the Flora-Expo park () near the Yuanshan MRT station () and is always a good time. There are usually so many people that the parade splits into multiple routes, starting and ending in front of Taipei City Hall (or, in some years, the Presidential Palace). This unique Taiwanese lantern festival was voted by the Discovery Channel as the second biggest New Years Eve celebration in the world! These lanterns are decorated with wishes and images relating to the owner. Many people mistakenly call another holiday on October 10 Taiwans birthday. The main stage is in Daan Forest Park, while other performances takes place around the city. More, Celebrate this sweet holiday with a huge fondue pot full of delicious and gooey melted chocolate. Sign up to unlock our digital magazines and also receive the latest news, events, offers and partner promotions. There are usually various activities and events held in association with the blooming of the cherry blossoms in Taiwan. Sky lanterns have different meanings depending on the shape or color. The tiny temple is located on Dihua Street in Dadaocheng District, which is often considered the oldest road in Taipei. The Lantern Festival is celebrated throughout Taiwan, but Ping Xi, a small village that's known for its sky lanterns, does a unique Sky Lantern Festival in conjunction with the Lantern Festival. What do the month names mean? The major aim behind this event is to promote the traditional culture and folklore among the common people. Continuing north along Jihe Road as far as Meilun Park, the installations in the Shilin section will reportedly take inspiration from traditional Taiwanese Old Streets. To us, that just screams Dchng bo xiochng (), a chargrilled sausage-in-a-rice-sausage sandwich. 2005: February 23~March 6, Anping Coastal History Park. The festival honors a tribe of dark skinned short people that the Saisiyat learned from but killed off in a tribal feud. Although the fireworks at the Taipei 101 building help ring in the New Year with a boom, this festival, which also takes place the first day of the lunar new year, is a much more spiritual affair. The illuminated rabbit rests on top of the exit 1 entrance of Sun-Yat-sen Memorial Hall Station and has fixed its gaze on a globe reflecting city landscapes. The Flying Fish Festival season is when the locals catch these fish, and it is common to see them hanging to dry on racks around the islands. Visitors are welcome to observe most events. Each of the 12 city districts have worked with communities to create small scale, meaningful lantern displays that reflect their culture and history. Prior to 1990, the scale of celebrations was relatively small, primarily centered around local temples. Rice dumplings are distributed in the streets and the people of Taiwan pay tribute to the centuries-old traditions. By combining national and regional resources, the tourism industry of Taiwan established its first Taiwan Lantern festival in 1990.