NEW TAIPEI (TVBS News) — The New Taipei City Tourism and Travel Department announced Thursday (Feb. 15) that the 2024 Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival will take place over two sessions on Feb. 17 and Feb. 24.
The first event runs from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. this Saturday at the Ping Xi Junior High School, with nine separate launches of sky lanterns. Each launch contains 100 lanterns, adding up to a total of 900 lanterns.
The second event will be held from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. next Saturday at Shihfen Square, again divided into nine launches, but with 150 lanterns per launch for a total of 1,350 lanterns.
Each session will begin distributing lantern vouchers from 10:30 a.m. until they run out. Each voucher represents one lantern, which can be launched by two to four people. Vouchers carry information on assembly and entry times, with officials noting that late arrivals will not be accommodated.
On Thursday, the six primary lanterns for the festival, designed by artist Hu Min-shu, were set up at Ping Xi Junior High School. However, during the lighting process, one of the lanterns, shaped like a dragon, accidentally caught on fire, resulting in a small hole.
Hu immediately repaired the damage on site, ensuring the successful erection of the dragon-shaped lantern. Hu crafted all six primary lanterns, themed around Taiwan, the world, a dragon, a tiger, and a "double dragon", with the "world" lantern shaped like the Earth. The other five lanterns each stand 20 feet tall.
