2025 Taipei Lantern Festival:
The 2025 Taipei Lantern Festival launched on February 2nd (Saturday) evening in Ximending with a spectacular opening ceremony! Taipei Mayor Wan-an Chiang joined citizens in lighting the 13-meter-tall main lantern, “Lucky Snake DouDou,” showcasing innovative design and vibrant lights symbolizing good fortune and vitality. Four exhibition zones (main lantern zone, Ximending zone, Chunghwa Road zone, and Beimen zone) blend diverse art forms and local culture, illuminating daily from 5 PM to 10 PM until February 16th.
The main lantern, “Lucky Snake DouDou,” located at Zhongshan Hall Plaza, combines lighting, special effects, and dynamic mechanical designs, presenting a stunning lantern show (6 PM – 10 PM, every 30 minutes). The Ximending zone showcases a fusion of traditional and modern art, including paper-cut artist Li Xinhui’s “White Snake Transformation” and “Auspicious Snake Welcoming Spring” graffiti. A “Wishing Lantern Forest” at Xibaiyuan Temple allows visitors to write down their New Year’s wishes. The Chunghwa Road zone displays cross-disciplinary lantern installations by renowned musicians Lin Chiang (“Taipei Gramophone”) and TERU (“Tree Awaiting Harvest”). The Beimen zone features the “Zhuangbao” mascot of the Taipei-New Taipei World Masters Games and lanterns from friendly cities worldwide.
The Zhongshan Hall Plaza stage will host performances by Xiao Bingzhi, ICYBALL ice hockey band, and others on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. Street artists will perform in Ximending and Chunghwa Road. Visitors can participate in photo-taking events and themed activities at Xibaiyuan Temple and Bopiliao on February 8th, 9th, and 15th. The festival is conveniently located near Beimen, Ximending, Taoyuan Airport MRT A1, and Taipei Main Station; public transport is highly recommended.
2025 New Taipei City Lantern Festival:
The 2025 New Taipei City Lantern Festival, themed “Auspicious Snake Offering Blessings, Let’s Play Together,” takes place at New Taipei Metropolitan Park from February 1st to 16th, spanning Lantern Festival (February 12th). The festival features 10 themed lantern zones and 6 special activities, incorporating creations by Indigenous artist Xiu-Mei Wu and LINE FRIENDS’ Minini.
The 10 lantern zones include a 12-meter-tall main lantern inspired by the Formosan Cobra, a whimsical “Colorful Snake Fun Zone,” an interactive “Snake Shadow Maze,” the technologically advanced “White Snake Illusion Zone,” the “Tshit-thô New Taipei City Zone” showcasing the city’s diverse districts, the religiously themed “Great Divine Power Zone,” a Japanese and Korean inspired “Japan-Korea New Year Zone,” the interactive “Let’s Play Zone,” the classical “Spring in Jiangnan Zone,” and the student-designed “Colorful Welcoming Zone.”
Six special activities include LINE FRIENDS collaborations, performances by popular singers, authentic Japanese snacks, a Taiwanese food market, acrobatic performances, and family-friendly theater shows. Street artists will perform daily, with weekend parades and family-friendly shows. Almost 120 stalls will be available, and a reusable tableware initiative is also in place. 3000 New Taipei City Year of the Snake lanterns will be distributed on February 1st at 5 PM.
Transportation (New Taipei City Lantern Festival): The festival is conveniently accessible via Zhonghe-Xinlu Line to Sanchong Station, Airport MRT Line to A2 Station, or High Speed Rail to Banqiao/Taipei Station followed by MRT transfer, and designated bus routes. Please refer to the official New Taipei City Lantern Festival website (link) for detailed information.
