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🎉 festival

Lantern Festival Taiwan

Friday, February 20, 2026

— days to go

The Lantern Festival in Taiwan is a spectacular annual event that marks the conclusion of Lunar New Year celebrations on the 15th day of the first lunar month. Known as Yuanxiao Jie in Mandarin, the festival features massive lantern exhibitions, intricate light displays, and vibrant nighttime celebrations across the island. The tradition originated in China during the Tang Dynasty (618-907 CE) as a Buddhist practice of lighting lanterns to honor the Buddha, and later evolved into a grand folk celebration. Taiwan's Lantern Festival has grown into one of the world's most impressive light festivals, with the main event rotating among different cities each year. The festival is deeply associated with prayers for good fortune, family reunion, and the fulfillment of wishes, as countless sky lanterns are released into the night sky carrying people's hopes and dreams.

History

The Lantern Festival's origins trace back to the Han Dynasty when Emperor Ming, a Buddhist patron, ordered that lanterns be lit in palaces and temples on the 15th day of the first lunar month to honor the Buddha. By the Tang Dynasty, the practice had spread throughout Chinese society and became a grand public celebration. In Taiwan, the tradition was brought by Hokkien and Hakka immigrants from Fujian and Guangdong provinces centuries ago. The modern Taiwanese Lantern Festival was formalized in 1990 when the Tourism Bureau launched the first official Taiwan Lantern Festival in Taipei. Since then, it has grown exponentially, with the event moving to different cities including Kaohsiung, Taichung, Tainan, and Pingxi. The festival has become a major tourist attraction drawing millions of visitors from around the world, showcasing Taiwan's cultural heritage alongside contemporary artistic innovation.

How It's Celebrated

The festival is celebrated with spectacular lantern exhibitions featuring enormous, elaborately designed lanterns in the shape of zodiac animals, mythical creatures, and cultural symbols, often incorporating modern LED technology and multimedia projections. In the mountainous district of Pingxi, thousands of sky lanterns are simultaneously released, creating a breathtaking sea of floating lights as participants write their wishes on the paper lanterns before release. The Yanshui region holds a unique Beehive Fireworks Festival where participants stand in the path of spinning rocket fireworks for good luck. Tangyuan, sweet glutinous rice balls filled with sesame or peanut paste, are traditionally eaten to symbolize family togetherness and completeness. Lantern riddles, folk performances, and temple fairs round out the festivities.

Other Years

2021 Sat
20 Feb
2022 Sun
20 Feb
2023 Mon
20 Feb
2024 Tue
2/20
2025 Thu
2/20
2027 Sat
2/20
2028 Sun
2/20
2029 Tue
20 Feb

Countries

🇹🇼 TW

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