TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – The Department of Information and Tourism of Taipei unveiled the theme and main visual design – “Twinkle Taipei”– for the Taipei Lantern Festival 2019 taking place between Feb. 16 and 24.

Unlike past themes which were mostly inspired by the 12 animal signs of the Chinese Zodiac, this year the event goes glitzy with a theme that draws inspiration from the “Taiwanese Electric Flower Car” – a truck converted to a neon-lit moving stage where performers sing and dance for celebratory occasions.

As the lantern fest is being held in the historical district of west Taipei for the third consecutive year, it spotlights a variety of local traits, including architectural features of the three long-standing temples in the area and the graffiti culture of Ximending.

Akibo Lee (李明道), a graphic designer and curator of the fiesta, rose to prominence by designing some of the most memorable album covers for a range of A-list figures in showbiz, for example A-Mei (張惠妹), Wu Bai (五佰), and Bobby Chen (陳昇).

Combining festive elements, art and technology, and international tourism, the lantern festival is expected to drive local economic growth and boost tourism, said the organizers.

Chang Tai-shan (張泰山), a legendary Taiwanese baseball star who announced his retirement last year, assumed the role as a pitchperson for the annual event in a promotional video. He said he would like to bring his family to the lantern activities after missing the chance to visit the lantern festival over the past two years training in Japan and Australia.