Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival
Celestial Lantern Festival · Pingxi, Taiwan
The festival
The Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival is the very image of Taiwan at night: hundreds of celestial lanterns rise together over the Pingxi district in the New Taipei mountains, bearing the wishes painted by their launchers. The main release takes place on the 15th day of the first lunar month, the Lanterns' Day which closes the Chinese New Year celebrations — February 20th in 2027.
In 2026, the city of New Taipei organized collective releases in two sessions: February 27 at the Pingxi school and March 3 at Shifen Square, with waves of 100 to 150 lanterns. The rest of the year, its own lantern is launched daily on the old Shifen street, along the railway track.
Access is via the train from Taipei, which is a connection to Ruifang for the Pingxi line; on the day of the festival, special shuttles complete the device and the lines can last for hours. Free vouchers to let go are distributed on site the same morning: arrive early.
Good to know
There are discussions on the environmental impact of lanterns: biodegradable lanterns and collections are encouraged by local authorities.