TAIPEI (TVBS News) — The 2026 Taiwan Lantern Festival officially illuminated the night sky in Chiayi County on Tuesday (March 3), drawing over 1 million visits. President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) and Chiayi County Magistrate Weng Chang-liang (翁章梁) activated the main lantern, "Alishan, Veiled in Luminous Mist" (光沐－世界的阿里山), symbolizing a blend of light, water, and wood.
The Chiayi County Government announced the festival will run until March 15, inviting the nation to partake in this blend of technology, gaming, and creative culture. Chiayi County Magistrate Weng Chang-liang expressed gratitude for the favorable weather and announced Chiayi's transformation from an agricultural hub into a "drone manufacturing and R&D base" and "the world's largest advanced chip packaging base." President Lai echoed this sentiment, emphasizing Chiayi's evolution into a leading national drone and advanced packaging testing center.
The festival features 12 major attractions, including the Osaka Expo Tech World Pavilion, a drone show, and high-altitude fireworks, showcasing cultural creativity and technological prowess. Artists Yao Chung-han (姚仲涵), Rex Takeshi (陳威志), and Lu Yen-cheng (盧彥臣) collaborated on the main lantern, which stands at 21 meters tall.
Chiayi County Government declared 2025 to 2035 as Chiayi's golden decade, with the festival illuminating both the night sky and the city's confidence and future vision. They invited residents nationwide to join the celebration. The festival opened on Monday (March 2) with the "2026 Taiwan Lantern Festival × Super Mario: Star Festival"(超級瑪利歐・星燦嘉年華), a collaboration with Nintendo.