The 2017 Taipei Lantern Festival (元宵節) kicked off at 6:00 pm on February 4 along Zhonghua Road between Ximen and Beimen MRT stations. The theme of this year’s Lantern Festival is “West Side Story, Taipei Glory,” and it will be held until February 17.

The opening night attracted throngs of people to the crowded Ximending area, which became much more crowded than usual.

The Lantern Festival was first held in Taipei in 1990 as the national Lantern Festival until 2001, when the government decided to hold the national event in different towns. This year’s national Lantern Festival will be held in Yunlin.

The event features lantern and art displays as well as a projection display on Beimen. The main stage at Ximending hosts bands each day with Japanese band World Order performing on the first and second nights.

The event has interactive displays, mostly for children, to promote the Universiade this summer. There are also lantern displays designed by local schools and others sponsored by businesses.

For more information visit the official website.