Taipei City Government

The 2018 Hakka Yimin Festival will take place at the Taipei Hakka Park between October 20 and 22.
 
This year, the theme of the event will highlight the 30-year anniversary of “Return to the Mother Tongue” Movement. To commemorate the actions of Hakka forefathers which resulted in the revitalization of the Hakka dialect, the event organizers selected the theme of “Hakka 30” for this year’s event.
 
Inviting 19 Yimin temples from across the island, Taipei’s Hakka Yimin Festival is now in its 31^st year. Starting this Saturday, the 3-day event will include a worship ceremony to highlight Hakka customs; a procession featuring participants carrying offerings placed on shoulder poles recreating the scenes of supplying volunteer troop centuries ago; and cultural performances to spotlight the traditional culture of the ethnic group.
 
According to Hakka Affairs Commissioner Tseng Nian-yeou, one of the major focuses of the festival is the Hakka dialect. The design of the main poster for this year’s Hakka Yimin Festival incorporated the Hakka language movement 30 years ago – merging the images from Henri Matisse’s painting The Dance with the bright colors displayed on Hakka textile. 
 
To mark the 30^th anniversary of the movement, the organizers will hold a Hakka Folksong Night packed with performances by different generations of Hakka singers including Golden Melody Award winner Liu Shau-hi. From traditional mountain folk songs to music composed by the new generation of songwriters, the audience has the chance to enjoy a trip down memory lane.
 
Meanwhile, the event also features booths arranged by 24 young Hakka entrepreneurs showing merchandise based on the three “creative spirits” – entrepreneurship, innovation, and creativity. In addition, 21 local farmers offer a selection of fresh produce raised according to natural and organic means. For those who enjoy snacks and good food, there are more than 80 stalls at the fair to satisfy one’s taste buds.
 
Furthermore, there are also activities including Afternoon Tea Music Party, Floats Workshop, Mini Hakka Crafts Exhibition, DIY handicraft lessons, Hakka cuisine tasting session, international music exchange, Taipei New Immigrant Art Festival, and over 30 Hakka-related seminars and events at the venue during this period.
 
Activities Overview
 
Warm-up Procession
Date: October 19
Time: 2 PM – 4 PM
A total of 4 floats and 20 groups will take part in a procession traveling across the south part of the city, starting from Dingzhou Road Section 2 and circling the nearby areas before arriving back at the Hakka Culture Theme Park.
 
Hakka Procession, Religious Ceremony, and Cultural Performances
Date: October 20
Venue: The religious processions comprising 19 Yimin statues from across the island will leave the Citizen Plaza. Following the divine procession, there will be events including religious rites, Hakka plays, offering ceremony, and other cultural performances lasting the entire day.
 
Shoulder-pole Meal-giving Procession
Date: October 21
Venue: A shoulder-pole bearing procession consisting of roughly 5,000 participants will leave from Ketagalan Boulevard in front of the Presidential Office. Other activities taking place on the day include the main offering ceremony, street performances, cultural exhibition, and night concert.
 
Sending-off the Deity Ceremony
Date: October 22
Venue: Citizen Plaza, Ketagalan Boulevard, and Hakka Culture Theme Park