Image source: New Taipei City Department of Civil Affairs
The 2022 Taiwan Lantern Festival is happening in Kaohsiung! But for anyone who can't make it there in person, don't worry! From 2/04 to 2/28 — nearly a full month — the "2022 New Taipei Lantern Festival: Lantern Theatre" is being held at the Happy Water Park section of New Taipei Metropolitan Park. Taiwan's first-ever "lantern theatre" concept transforms the entire metropolitan park into a giant stage, featuring 7 custom-designed themed zones and 6 categories of performances. Celebrate the Year of the Tiger at the 2022 New Taipei Lantern Festival — grab your friends and come admire the lanterns together! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V7MvZAYZSpY

Main lantern — Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon main lantern
For the Year of the Tiger in 2022, the New Taipei Lantern Festival unveils its first-ever walk-through main lantern, "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon," paired with an on-site 120-meter-long "Street Performance Zone." Standing 8 meters tall, the main lantern crouches on the lawn of New Taipei Metropolitan Park in a commanding pose. Every evening from 18:00-21:00 (until 22:00 on weekends), a main lantern show runs on the hour, combining LED light strips and laser accents with a seven-character verse narration produced in collaboration with Pili International Multimedia, delivering a truly one-of-a-kind audiovisual experience.

Street Performance Zone

The "Street Performance Zone" recreates buildings that capture New Taipei's tourism highlights and city character as lantern displays, cleverly incorporating well-known store signage, so walking through feels like stepping into a miniature version of New Taipei City. Featured buildings include: Pingxi Station, A-Mei Tea House, Fufa Vintage Shoes, A-Gan Yi Taro Balls, Fullon Hotel, Sin-Jian-Cheng Bakery, Tamsui Fish Balls, the Tamsui Light Rail, and more.

Temple Courtyard Theatre

"Temple Courtyard Theatre" is Taiwan's first-ever set design combining temple courtyard art lanterns with a live theatrical performance! At night, the temple architecture's clear reflection combines with floating blessing lanterns and lanterns styled after traditional temple guardian face paintings, creating a fresh and lively experience.

Sweet Teddy Bear Forest + Water Fountain Show

Image source: New Taipei City Department of Civil Affairs Facebook
"Sweet Teddy Bear Forest" is designed around a children's theatre concept, featuring 106 adorable teddy bears themed around the 12 zodiac signs, the four seasons, cultural fusion, festivals, and more — a perfect zone for both kids and adults to take photos with the bears! The zone also includes a 5.5-meter-tall giant honey jar plus medium-sized honey jars, letting visitors learn about honey harvesting while helping the bears toss honey-colored balls into the jars to collect honey together, along with an interactive bee check-in device — combining play, learning, and lantern viewing all at once! The "Water Concert Hall" hosts a water fountain show every evening at 18:15, 18:30, 18:45, 20:15, 20:30, 20:45, 21:15, 21:30, and 21:45, combining dancing water with a dazzling rainbow water curtain set to a variety of music styles, dancing out a vibrant, energetic cityscape. Stand here with someone special and enjoy the fountain show together for a relaxed, romantic evening.

Lantern Carnival

Walking into the entrance, you're greeted by a design themed around "2022 New Taipei Lantern Festival: Lantern Theatre," featuring a grand stage curtain shown in its "open" state, giving off a genuine feeling of welcome. The Lantern Carnival zone features lantern displays contributed by Japan and various New Taipei City departments. "Blessing Lantern Forest" is built around the concept of a wishing tree, with 10 groups of lantern trees praying for a safe, smooth new year and bringing happiness to all who visit. Our personal favorite, the "Painted Lantern Corridor," was created collaboratively by all 29 administrative districts of New Taipei City — walking through it, you're surrounded overhead by countless lanterns, forming what looks like a truly spectacular sea of light.

Taiwan-Japan Friendship Lantern Zone

Photos above via Facebook — search "Evan's Dream World"
The "Japan Lantern Zone" was organized by Sanchong District Office, inviting lantern displays representing various Japanese prefectures and cities to jointly build a Taiwan-Japan friendship lantern zone. With cherry blossoms currently in bloom, the site also features cherry blossom set pieces and Japanese architectural details for photos — if you can't travel to Japan for cherry blossoms due to the pandemic, come satisfy that travel craving at the lantern festival instead! Check in and like the page on-site now for a chance to grab a gift too!

During the 2022 New Taipei Lantern Festival's limited promo dates, check in and like the page on-site to receive a limited-edition "cherry blossom" face mask tied to the 2022 New Taipei cherry blossom season.

*Redemption dates → 2/12, 2/13, 2/19, 2/20, 2/26, 2/27 (6 days total) *Event hours → 16:00-20:00 *Location → New Taipei Metropolitan Park — Lantern Carnival, Japan Lantern Zone, in front of the cherry blossom tree. *How to get your cherry blossom mask: 1. Like the "Flower Viewing Updates" Facebook page. 2. Show the above screen to staff for verification to redeem your gift. *Terms: 1. Limited to 500 gifts per day, while supplies last. 2. Limited to one mask per person, per account, per day.

Getting there

Taipei MRT Take the Zhonghe-Xinlu Line to "Sanchong Station" Exit 1, then walk across the street to the venue, or head toward Exit 1A in the direction of the Taoyuan Airport MRT to reach the venue. Taoyuan Airport MRT Take the line to "A2 Sanchong Station" Exit 1A to reach the venue. Bus (1) Get off at "MRT Sanchong Station," about a 3-minute walk to the venue: 62, 232, 227-district, 264, 640. (2) Get off at "Cailiao (Chongyang Rd.)," about a 7-minute walk to the venue: 14, 227, 227-district, 232, 292, 621, 803, 806, Zhongxiao Trunk Line. (3) Get off at "Cailiao (Chongxin Rd.)," about an 8-minute walk to the venue: 14, 62, 111, 227, 264, 292, 616, 636, 638, 639, 801, 803, 820, 857, Zhongxiao Trunk Line. (4) Get off at "Wugu Wang Temple," about a 15-minute walk to the venue: 111, 235, 257, 616, 635, 636, 637, 638, 639, 783, 801, 806, 820, 835, 857, Blue 2. Driving (1) National Highway No. 1 → Sanchong Interchange (Chongyang Rd.) → Sanyang Rd. → Shuhong East Rd. Section 1 → park nearby and walk to the venue. (2) National Highway No. 3 → Zhonghe Interchange (toward Banqiao) → Freeway 64 → Wugu exit → Shuhong East Rd. Section 1 → park nearby and walk to the venue. Parking Paid parking lots or spaces around the perimeter of New Taipei Metropolitan Park — for details, check the "New Taipei City Public Parking Search" website.

2022 New Taipei Lantern Festival

Location: New Taipei Metropolitan Park — Happy Water Park Dates: 2/04–2/28 Hours: Mon-Thu 18:00-22:00; Fri-Sun 18:00-22:30