Taipei City Government

With the “Fun Guandu Festival 2017” kicking-off this Sunday (October 29) at the Guandu Riverside Park, the amphibious parade consisting of both participants on land and on the river will take place on the day of the event.
According to the organizers, a total of 35 teams will take part in the parade on land, while the procession on the river comprises a fleet of over 100 canoes. The fleet will travel along Keelung River from Shuangxi Wharf all the way to Guandu Wharf, where the two parties will rendezvous. The organizers expect a turnout of over 10,000 spectators.
The press conference for the festival on October 24 kicked off with a performance by TLBE Brass Band whose members are alumni of Taipei National University of the Arts (TNUA). Members from communities in Guandu also showed up dressing in costumes they have prepared for the upcoming parade. A hand-painted canoe by the vice principal of TNUA also debuted at the press event. The vessel will carry Mayor Ko Wen-je on the day of the parade.
Dignitaries attending the press conference included Commissioner of Information and Tourism Chien Yu-yen, TNUA principal Chen Kai-huang, Guandu Temple President Chen Yu-kun, Sustainability Director Wei Hsing-chuan of ASUS, and Taipei College of Maritime Technology principal Tang Yan-bo.
Related activities of the festival has been held since the beginning of October, with 10-percent fare discount for travelers with Guandu Micro-trip Discount Booklet (available for download at the festival’s official page) by Taipei Cruise Corporation through the month of October, as well as a stamp rally starting on October 7 and spanning 70 stores and locations across Guandu. In addition, four festival-related concerts also took place in Guandu ahead of the main event.
For more information on the Fun Guandu Festival 2017, please visit the official Chinese activity website (http://www.guandu.tw/).