What is the Taiwan Lantern Festival?
Across the Chinese-speaking world, the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, the first full moon of the new year, is celebrated as the Lantern Festival, the end of the Lunar New Year season. In Taiwan, it is the occasion for one of the biggest light shows in Asia: the Taiwan Lantern Festival, a national event organized by the government's tourism agency, with giant lanterns, light installations and shows spread over a vast site for about two weeks.
The festival began in 1990 at the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall in Taipei. Since 2001, it has moved to a different city or county each year, giving each host a chance to show off its culture and landscapes, and drawing millions of visitors to places that are often off the usual tourist routes. In 2025, the festival in Taoyuan drew more than 20 million visits in 12 days, and in 2026, Chiayi County hosted it with a main lantern 21 metres tall.
The centrepiece is the main lantern, a towering sculpture of light, often inspired by the animal of the Chinese zodiac for the year, which comes to life after dark with music and light shows. Since 1999, each main lantern has had its own theme music. Around it, the site is divided into themed zones, with lanterns made by artists, schools, companies and communities, from traditional figures to interactive installations, drones and projection shows.
For 2027, the festival moves to Miaoli County, a hilly region of Hakka towns, tea plantations and coast in the northwest of Taiwan, with a programme planned around the Miaoli high-speed rail station.
What to expect
The festival runs for about two weeks around the Lantern Festival, with lanterns lit every evening.
Opening night
The main lantern lights up
The festival opens with the lighting of the main lantern, with music, performances and, often, fireworks or drone shows.
Every evening
The lantern zones
From around 6pm, visitors stroll through the themed zones, each with its own lanterns and installations, while the main lantern comes to life with shows at set times.
Lantern Festival night
The full moon
On the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, the night of the Lantern Festival itself, the site is at its busiest and most festive.
A dragon lantern at the 2017 festival in Yunlin
Photo by Chi-Hung Lin / flickr · CC BY-SA 2.0
Planning your trip
Getting there
Taoyuan International Airport, near Taipei, is Taiwan's main airport. The high-speed rail links Taipei with the west coast, and the festival is usually served by shuttle buses from the nearest stations. In 2027, the site is planned around the Miaoli high-speed rail station, about 40 minutes from Taipei.
Where to stay
Hotels near the festival site fill up quickly. With the high-speed rail, it's easy to stay in Taipei or Taichung and travel to the festival for the evening.
What it costs
Entry is free. Taiwan is good value, with cheap and excellent food at night markets and food stalls, which often set up around the festival site.
Go like you know
- Check the main lantern show times and be there early for a good view.
- Download the festival map before you go; the sites are large and spread across several zones.
- Wear comfortable shoes; you'll walk several kilometres in an evening.
- Bring a power bank; you'll take more photos than you expect, and charging points are scarce on site.
- Look for the small handheld lanterns given out or sold at the festival, a favourite souvenir.
- Eat at the food stalls around the site; Taiwanese night-market snacks are part of the experience.
- Combine the festival with the release of sky lanterns at the Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival, held around the same time.
- For the wider celebration, see the Lantern Festival across the Chinese-speaking world.
- In 2027, explore Miaoli's Hakka towns, tea farms and coast by day.
Frequently asked questions
When is the Taiwan Lantern Festival in 2027?
The 2027 festival is planned for Miaoli County from February 20 to March 7, 2027, around the Miaoli high-speed rail station. February 20 is the Lantern Festival, the fifteenth day of the first lunar month. Check the official tourism website for confirmed dates and the programme.
Is it free?
Yes. Entry to the festival site is free, and no reservation is needed. You only pay for transport, food and drink. Shuttle buses from nearby stations are often free or cheap during the festival, though queues can be long at peak times.
Where is the festival held?
The host city or county changes every year. The festival was held in Taipei from 1990 to 2000, and has moved around Taiwan since 2001. Recent hosts include Taoyuan in 2025 and Chiayi County in 2026, and the 2027 festival is planned for Miaoli County.
