The Lantern Festival in Taiwan is an exciting time when many cities and counties in Taiwan put on colorful displays of lanterns for visitors to enjoy. There are usually lanterns in all the big cities including Taipei, Hsinchu, Taichung, and Kaohsiung. In this guide, we will share how Taiwan celebrates the Lantern Festival and how you can get involved.
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- Best time to visit: Spring and Autumn when it is not too hot or cold and less rainy
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- Rent a car to explore distant sights
When is Lantern Festival in Taiwan?
In 2026, the Lantern Festival is on Tuesday, March 3rd
2027: Sunday, February 21st
2028: Wednesday, February 9th
2029: Tuesday, February 27th
When and Where are 2026 Lantern Festival Events in Taiwan?
Taiwan International Lantern Festival 台灣燈會
Dates: March 3rd to March 15th, 2026
Location: Chiayi County Government Building Square
Address: No.1, E. Sec., Xianghe 1st Rd., Taibao City, Chiayi County 61249, Taiwan (ROC)
Pingxi Lantern Festival (New Taipei) 平溪天燈節
Dates and locations: In 2026, the Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival will be held Friday, February 27th from 6 to 9 PM at Pingxi Junior High School, and Tuesday, March 3rd from about 6 PM to 8:30 PM at Shifen Square.
Addresses: Pingxi Junior High School: No. 295, Section 2, Jing’an Rd, Pingxi District, New Taipei City, 226
Shifen Square: No. 226, Shifen Street, New Taipei City, Pingxi District
You can check out our full blog on the Pingxi Lantern Festival here.
Taipei City Lantern Festival 台北燈節
Dates: February 26th to March 15th, 2026
Location: Near Ximen MRT Station, and Yuanshan MRT Station (西門、圓山捷運站)
Address: No. 32-1, Baoqing Rd, Zhongzheng District, Taipei City, 100
New Taipei Lantern Festival 新北燈會
Dates: TBA
Location: Xingfu Shuiyang Park, inside New Taipei Metropolitan Park, near Sanchong MRT Station
Address: No. 36, Jieyun Rd, Sanchong District, New Taipei City, 241
Miaoli Bombing Dragon Festival 苗栗火旁龍之夜
Dates: February 25th, 5:00 PM to 9：30 PM, 2026
Location: Houlong Riverside Park (苗栗市經國路河濱公園)
Address: No 360, Jiuhou Wen Highway, Miaoli City
Taichung Lantern Festival 中臺灣元宵燈會
Dates: February 15th to March 3rd, 2026 (performances from 6 PM to 9 PM)
Location: Taichung Central Park (台中中央公園)
Address: No. 138, Jingmao 9th Road, Taichung City, Xitun District
Jiji Lantern Festival (Nantou) 集集燈會
Dates: February 15th to March 3rd, 2026 (activities from 6 PM to midnight)
Location: Nantou Jiji Weekend Market (南投集集假日廣場)
Address: No. 7, Chuzhong St, Jiji Township, Nantou County, 552
Changhua Lantern Festival 彰化元宵節活動
Dates: December 27th, 2025 to March 3rd, 2026
Location: Baguashan Scenic Area 八卦山風景區
Address: No. 31, Wenquan Road, Changhua City, Changhua County, 500
Yunlin Douliu Lantern Festival 雲林縣斗六蛇年燈會
Dates: Dec. 29th, 2025 to March 31st 2026 (activities from 6 PM to midnight)
Location: Penghshu Forest Park near (雲林斗六膨鼠森林公園)
Address: No. 222-1, Section 3, Daxue Rd, Douliu City, Yunlin County, 64054
Yanshui Beehive Fireworks (Tainan) 鹽水蜂炮
Dates: March 2nd to March 3rd, 2026, 9 PM to midnight. There will be more fireworks on the 3rd.
Location: Yanshui Junior High School (鹽水國中操場)
Address: No. 63, Sanfu Rd, Yanshui District, Tainan City, 737
The Yanshui Beehive Fireworks involve people shooting lots of fireworks at each other. Check out this news story for more background information.
Tainan Longqi Lantern Festival 臺南龍崎光節
Dates: December 25th, 2025 to March 1st, 2026
Location: Tainan Huxingshan Park (臺南市龍崎區虎形山公園)
Address: No. 49., Qiding Village, Longci District, Tainan City, Longci District 719
Tainan Tucheng Zhengtong Luermen Shengmu Temple Fireworks 台南土城 正統鹿耳門聖母廟 高空花火嘉年華
Dates: February 28th, 2026, 9 AM to 10 PM, 2026.
Location: Tainan Tucheng Zhengtong Luermen Shengmu Temple (台南土城 正統鹿耳門聖母廟)
Address: No. 160, Chengan Rd, Annan District, Tainan City, 70958
Yuejin Lantern Festival (Tainan) 月津港燈節
Dates: February 7th to March 8th, 2026
Location: Yanshui Old Street (臺南鹽水月津港 X 鹽水歷史街區 鹽水老街燈展)
Address: Yuejin Rd, Yanshui District, Tainan City, 737
Tainan Fucheng Puji Lantern Festival 台南府城普濟燈會
Dates: February 12th to March 7th, 2026
Location: Puji Temple 普濟殿廟埕
Address: No. 79, Puji Street, West Central District, Tainan City, 700（台南市西區普濟街79號）
Kaohsiung Wonderland 高雄冬日遊樂園
Dates: February 7th to March 3rd, 2026
Location: Love River Peir (高雄市苓雅區愛河灣, 愛河灣及16-18號碼頭)
Address: No. 1, Zhen’ai Rd, Yancheng District, Kaohsiung City, 803
Fengshan Light Festival (Kaohsiung) 鳳山光之季
Dates: February 7th to March 3rd, 2026
Location: Dadong Park 大東公園
Address: No. 41-1, Lane 539, Bo’ai Rd, Fengshan District, Kaohsiung City, 830
Pingtung Lantern Festival 屏東燈節
Dates: TBA
Location: Wanniang River, Xianmin Park, Shengli Village, Hakka Lantern Area 萬年溪、縣民公園、勝利星村、客家燈區
Address: Fuxing Rd, Pingtung City, Pingtung County, 900
Hualien Pacific Ocean Lantern Festival 花蓮太平洋燈會
Dates: TBA
Location: Hualien Sunrise Blvd. 花蓮市日出大道 (花蓮重慶市場旁表演廣場)
Address: No. 81-1, Mingyi St, Hualien City, Hualien County, 970
Taitung Lantern Festival 臺東好神愛在元宵嘉年華
Dates: February 26th to March 7th, 2026
Location: Taitung City Municipal Office Square (臺東市公所廣場)
Address: No. 365, Bo’ai Rd, Taitung City, Taitung County, 950
Taitung Bombing Lord Handan 玄武堂慶元宵炮炸寒單爺
Dates: March 3rd, 2026 8:00 PM
Location: Taitung City Municipal Office Square (臺東市公所廣場)
Address: No. 365, Bo’ai Rd, Taitung City, Taitung County, 950
This festival features people dressed in only red shorts and showered with fireworks. For more about this festival, you can check out this blog by Taiwan Everything here.
Yilan Lizejian “Zao-Wang“ －“Wife Carrying” Festival 宜蘭利澤簡走尪
Date: March 3rd, 2026 6 AM to 11 AM
Location: Lize Jianan Temple (利澤簡永安宮)
Address: No. 26, Lize Rd, Wujie Township, Yilan County, 26841 (宜蘭縣五結鄉利澤路26號)
The “Zou Wang” tradition in Wujie Township of Yilan, involves men carrying a ceremonial sedan along with fireworks to newlywed homes for blessings and protection.
Map:
Please see below for a map of Lantern Festival locations throughout Taiwan.
History of Lantern Festival in Taiwan
The Lantern Festival, originating in the Qin and Han dynasties (200 BC), evolved through various traditions, including lighting lanterns to honor deities, ward off pests, and celebrate Buddhism. By the Sui and Tang dynasties, it became a vibrant event with dazzling lantern displays, elaborate structures, and public festivities. The Song dynasty introduced lantern riddles, while the Ming and Qing dynasties expanded the celebrations with parades, dragon and lion dances, fireworks, and tangyuan, marking the end of the Chinese New Year period. Over time, the festival flourished as a joyful and culturally rich tradition.
Because Taiwan’s Lantern Festival is traditionally celebrated during the fifteenth day of the Lunar New Year and is rich with diverse traditions and activities centered around lantern displays. Historically, “welcoming lanterns” held at temples were the main events, evolving into government-organized lantern festivals with increasing scale. Taiwan’s Lantern Festival was officially initiated by the government in 1990, allowing local government entities to showcase elaborate lantern displays, attract international tourists, and promote cultural heritage.
The Lantern Festival is one of Taiwan’s most significant traditional festivals, celebrated alongside Chinese New Year, Tomb-Sweeping Day, Dragon Boat Festival, Ghost Festival, and Mid-Autumn Festival. Historically, it featured customs like unmarried women stealing green onions for good marriage prospects and lantern-related activities at temples like Longshan Temple. Over time, it has evolved into nationwide cultural celebrations, including major events like the Taiwan Lantern Festival and regional festivities such as Pingxi’s Sky Lantern Festival, Yanshui’s Beehive Fireworks, Taitung’s Bombing of Master Han Dan, Penghu’s Turtle-Blessing Ceremony, Miaoli’s Fire Dragon Dance, and Matsu’s Lantern Night Rituals. These events highlight the rich diversity of Taiwan’s cultural traditions
The practice of lighting off sky lanterns in Taiwan began in Shifen, when during the Qing Dynasty local villagers would flee into the mountains during raids from bandits. Once the bandits had left, the remaining villagers sent sky lanterns into the air to let the fleeing villagers know that it was safe to come down from the mountains.
The people of Shifen send off sky lanterns as a symbol of peace and celebrate every year during the Lantern Festival (元宵節), a Chinese holiday.
Setting off sky lanterns as a tourist attraction began in the 1990’s and you can find people lighting off lanterns every day from Shifen. Since 1990 the Lantern Festival has been held every year (except in 2021 due to COVID-19).
The Pingxi Lantern Festival is part of larger festivities around Taiwan at the time, known as the Taiwan Lantern Festival.
Because of the hundreds of sky lanterns set off every day, this create an environmental problem with lantern trash piling around the forests and mountains of Pingxi District. The local people and volunteers help to clean up, but because of the tourism allure associated with lighting off the sky lanterns, it seems that this practice is not going away anytime soon.
Our Lantern Festival Experience in Taiwan:
Pingxi Lantern Festival 平溪天燈節
The Pingxi Lantern Festival in New Taipei has some of the most popular attractions in Northern Taiwan and is known as one of the best festivals in the world. Thousands of lanterns are set off during the festival, to celebrate the traditional Chinese Spring Lantern Festival Holiday. It is definitely worth the experience if you are in Taiwan during the Lantern Festival. However, lighting off sky lanterns is bad for the environment and you should not do it.
Dates and locations: In 2026, the Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival will be held Friday, February 27th from 6 to 9 PM at Pingxi Junior High School, and Tuesday, March 3rd from about 6 PM to 8:30 PM at Shifen Square.
Addresses: Pingxi Junior High School: No. 295, Section 2, Jing’an Rd, Pingxi District, New Taipei City, 226
Shifen Square: No. 226, Shifen Street, New Taipei City, Pingxi District
Taipei Lantern Festival 台北燈節
Taipei City holds a lantern festival every year. The last time I went, the festival was held at Sun Yat Sen Memorial Hall.
Dates: February 26th to March 15th, 2026
Location: Near Ximen MRT Station, and Yuanshan MRT Station (西門、圓山捷運站)
Address: No. 32-1, Baoqing Rd, Zhongzheng District, Taipei City, 100
Decorations for the year of the rabbit.
New Taipei Lantern Festival 新北燈會
Last time I also visited the lantern displays at New Taipei Metropolitan park pictured above.
Dates: TBA
Location: Xingfu Shuiyang Park, inside New Taipei Metropolitan Park, near Sanchong MRT Station
Address: No. 36, Jieyun Rd, Sanchong District, New Taipei City, 241
Here is the view of the New Taipei Lantern Festival during the year of the Snake in 2025.
Yanshui Beehive Fireworks (Tainan) 鹽水蜂炮
Dates: March 2nd to March 3rd, 2026, 9 PM to midnight. There will be more fireworks on the 3rd.
Location: Yanshui Junior High School (鹽水國中操場)
Address: No. 63, Sanfu Rd, Yanshui District, Tainan City, 737
Yanshui Qiaonan Old Street also has a lantern display every year over the water. I recommend visiting at night so you can capture reflections of the lanterns on the water.
Taitung Bombing Lord Handan 玄武堂慶元宵炮炸寒單爺
Dates: March 3rd, 2026 8:00 PM
Location: Taitung City Municipal Office Square (臺東市公所廣場)
Address: No. 365, Bo’ai Rd, Taitung City, Taitung County, 950
Miaoli Bombing Dragon Festival 苗栗火旁龍之夜
Dates: February 25th, 5:00 PM to 9：30 PM, 2026
Location: Houlong Riverside Park (苗栗市經國路河濱公園)
Address: No 360, Jiuhou Wen Highway, Miaoli City
Yilan Lizejian “Zao-Wang“ －“Wife Carrying” Festival 宜蘭利澤簡走尪
Date: March 3rd, 2026 6 AM to 11 AM
Location: Lize Jianan Temple (利澤簡永安宮)
Address: No. 26, Lize Rd, Wujie Township, Yilan County, 26841 (宜蘭縣五結鄉利澤路26號)
Kaohsiung Wonderland 高雄冬日遊樂園
View of giant floating characters from Chiikawa (吉伊卡哇), a Japanese Manga Comic, as part of the Kaohsiung Lantern Festival at the Love Pier in 2025.
During Kaohsiung Wonderland, there is also a small children’s theme park. However, you have to come at about 2-3 PM to wait in line for an hour for a ticket, and then wait in line for rides. Unless you live in Kaohsiung and have nothing better to do, then I suggest you skip the theme park.
Dates: February 7th to March 3rd, 2026
Location: Love River Peir (高雄市苓雅區愛河灣, 愛河灣及16-18號碼頭)
Address: No. 1, Zhen’ai Rd, Yancheng District, Kaohsiung City, 803
Other local displays (Nangang)
Even though Taipei City has its own lantern festival, Nangang District of Taipei where I live also puts up a mini lantern festival in front of Nangang Station every year. Lots of cities and towns will also have their own lantern displays outside of the ones mentioned in this blog.
Enjoy Some Rice Ball Soup (Tangyuan 湯圓 / Yuanxiao 元宵)
Rice ball soup is a must-have during Lanter Festival. Their round shape represents family unity and togetherness. They usually are made of red bean paste, peanut paste, sesame paste, pork, or vegetables.
Another variation of this same thing is called Yuanxiao which is more chewy.
If you are not a fan of red bean paste, you can try sesame Tangyuan with peanut soup.
Tips For Travelling During the Lantern Festival Holiday in Taiwan:
- The Lantern Festival Holiday is usually not a national holiday with school and work off, so do not expect traffic and airports to be busy.
- For popular lantern festival activities such as Taipei, New Taipei, and Pingxi, is it best to take public transportation as there may be limited parking nearby.
Thanks for reading! For more festivals and activities in Taiwan, check out our full Taiwan Festival Guide here.
