Taipei City Government

Mayor Ko Wen-je attended the opening of the 2018 Taipei Lantern Festival. He appeared on stage carrying a conductor’s baton and leading a team of percussionists during the opening ceremony, joined by a group of dancing Pikachus.
 
During his address, the mayor mentioned that the city government changed the venue of the Taipei Lantern Festival to Ximending for the first time in 2017. The move successfully infused youthful vitality into the traditional festivities. Furthermore, with the completion of the North Gate Plaza this year and the renovation of historical buildings in the neighborhood, this also adds cultural elements to the event.
 
Ko stressed that visitors will be able to enjoy the historical sites during daytime and the lanterns in the evening. They can also drop by the commercial districts in the area for snacks and fun. He emphasized “culture” and “class” as the most important aspects of the event.
 
Praising many people for their efforts, the mayor pointed out that each exhibition area showcases the potential of local design teams. The capabilities of Taiwanese designers have been spotlighted during the Universiade in 2017; the city government seeks to repeat the success again at this year’s lantern festival.
 
He emphasized that the lantern festival is not only an event for young people, but also a place where they can bring their kids and elders from their families. He referred to the main lantern of the event – Happy Magical Dogs – as representing the spirit of this year’s lantern festival: working hand-in-hand to safeguard our homeland and promoting harmony.
 
At the end of his speech, the mayor expressed his gratitude to both Deputy Mayor Chen Chin-jun and Tourism and Information Commissioner Chen Su-yu for their effort in implementing the event. He praised the efforts of the staff of TPEDOIT for working long hours to ensure the success of this year’s Taipei Lantern Festival.