TAIPEI (TVBS News) — The upcoming 2026 Taipei Lunar New Year Street Bazaar (2026台北年貨大街) will run from Friday (Jan. 31) to Sunday (Feb. 15), featuring the theme "Chasing Fortune." In a first, the event will collaborate with the popular brand Lan Lan Cat (白爛貓), a beloved Taiwanese cartoon character, to blend the charm of traditional street markets with modern attractions, according to the Taipei's Office of Commerce (商業處). The bazaar aims to offer visitors a unique cultural experience.
Vice Mayor Lin I-hua (林奕華) attended a press conference organized by the Office of Commerce on Tuesday (Jan. 27), highlighting the bazaar's significance as a representative festive event. Lin noted that this year marks the first collaboration with an "IP", a term in Taiwan meaning a branded fictional character, to enhance the traditional allure of the street district. Following the 2025 introduction of Taiwan's first smoke-free street bazaar policy, the Office of Commerce has expanded the non-smoking area to surrounding alleys this year.
Kao Chen-yuan (高振源), the office's director, stated that Dihua Street (迪化街), a historic commercial district in Taipei, and adjacent roads, arcades, and sidewalks will be entirely smoke-free. A temporary smoking area will be available at the right side of the Dadaocheng Wharf (大稀埕碼頭) entrance for smokers. This year, the bazaar has partnered with a renowned e-commerce platform to launch an online platform for the Taipei Lunar New Year Street Bazaar, offering exclusive deals.
The initiative aims to extend the event's reach and convenience to a broader audience. Additionally, the Dihua Street business district has introduced a LINE digital navigation service in Chinese, English, and Japanese, enabling international tourists to explore with ease. The Office of Commerce will collaborate with the Consumer Protection section of Taipei's Department of Legal Affairs (法務局消保官), the Department of Health (衛生局), and the Department of Environmental Protection (環保局) to ensure food safety and environmental cleanliness during the event.