Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival 2025 in Taiwan

This unique Taiwanese lantern festival was voted by the Discovery Channel as the second biggest Lunar New Year’s Eve celebration in the world! This festival shows the true spirit of Taiwan as floating lanterns carry the prayers and vows of its people across the starry night sky. Folk performances, lantern riddle contests, and street carnivals also accompany the event. Still, the true draw comes from the thousands of glowing lanterns carrying hopes and dreams into a new year.

Festival Dates

Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival falls on the 15th day of the first month in the lunar calendar and serves as a culmination to the two weeks of Lunar New Year festivities. While the main event is usually held on a specific date, there are numerous celebrations and night markets preceding and following the lantern launches. Due to the popularity of Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival, it also might be held on two separate dates, usually on a Saturday and the 15th day of the month. After the breathtakingly beautiful mass celebration, you might still be lucky to spot some lanterns released into the sky for a week or two.

Lantern Launches

Every year, the festival gathers an estimated number of about 100,000 to 200,000 people. Lanterns are prepared beforehand by writing or drawing prayers, hopes, and wishes so that the coming year will bring them happiness and prosperity. During the event, around 100 lanterns are released at the same time, with the interval of 20 minutes between each launch. More than a thousand lanterns are released into the sky on one night of the festival. The launches usually unfold from 6 to 9 pm. The breathtaking view of thousands of lanterns lighting up the sky is an unforgettable experience and one not to be missed!

Location

The lantern festival will unfold at Pingxi Junior High School on February 8th and launch from Shifen Sky Lantern Square on February 12th. One of the best places to view this magnificent sight during the Pingxi Lantern Festival is Shifen Old Street, located near Shifen station. Here, the houses are squeezed closely on both sides of the railway track, which adds greatly to the atmosphere. Throughout the year, tourists also launch lanterns themselves from the rail tracks.

Environmental Concerns

Most of the lanterns are made out of metal wires, bamboo frames, and paper, and don't burn out entirely while in the sky. The remnants frequently land in trees, local forests, and rivers, contributing to environmental litter and endangering the wildlife. To address this issue, local governments provide rewards and incentives for collecting, while volunteer organizations organize clean-up events. Additionally, some vendors in Shifen, Pingxi, offer eco-friendly lanterns that burn entirely in the air.

Other Lantern Festivals

Similar festivals are held in January-March all across Taiwan. Some of the events include the Lantern Festival in Kaohsiung, taking place around the same time, Taipei Lantern Festival in Ximending, New Taipei City Lantern Festival, and Hsinchu Lantern Festival.