Project Overview

The New Taipei City Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival has reached its 26th edition, with sky lanterns serving as symbolic cultural icons that represent emotions, hope, blessings, and spiritual solace. Each year, the festival attracts travellers from around the world, making Pingxi—this historic mountain town—one of Taiwan’s most internationally renowned cultural celebrations.

2025’s festival features the Snake Year Light Projection Show, utilising innovative lighting technology to enhance the visual spectacle and create an immersive experience. As visitors released sky lanterns, they made wishes and embraced the fusion of tradition and modernity. The event not only boosted local tourism and economic growth but also underscored the importance of environmental sustainability, ensuring the coexistence of cultural heritage and ecological preservation.

The New Taipei City Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival has become a global symbol of hope and unity, spreading blessings, encouragement, and togetherness. The New Taipei City Government expressed its gratitude for the support of organisers and participants and warmly invited everyone to experience the upcoming 2026 Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival, visiting this iconic mountain town filled with wishes and dreams—Pingxi, New Taipei City.

Organisation

New Taipei City Government

Team

New Taipei City Government, Tourism and Travel Department

Project Brief

“A Promise Under the Romantic Night Sky—Hand in Hand, Lighting the Future with Happiness.”

The aesthetic beauty of the Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival lies in the subtle interaction between traditional lanterns and the vast night sky. As each lantern rises gently, its soft glow blends seamlessly with the darkness, turning New Year wishes into a constellation of twinkling stars. The event was more than just a visual and spiritual fusion—it transformed a blessing ritual into an enchanting sensory experience.

Every sky lantern released symbolises hopes and aspirations for the future, intertwining with the rich cultural heritage of Pingxi. Visitors, guided by the warm glow of the lanterns, wandered through ancient streets, railway tracks, and mining relics, immersing themselves in a moving tapestry of time and tradition.

By merging cultural celebrations with tourism, travellers witnessed the profound connection between landscapes and heritage, soaring like lanterns toward their dreams. This unique aesthetic encounter made the Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival not just a world-class attraction, but also a testament to the deep bond between people and their homeland. Only here, where light and tradition intertwine, can such a mesmerising experience take root in the hearts of all who attend.

Project Need

February 8 – Pingxi Venue: “Golden Snake Brings Fortune, Luck Slithers In”
A major highlight in 2025 was the “Sky Lantern Serpent Light Projection Show,” where advanced projection mapping technology and synchronized music will set the tone for the event. The golden snake, symbolizing good fortune, appeared magically weaving through the crowd, releasing sky lanterns. Following a ceremonial tribute, it led hundreds of blessing lanterns soaring into the sky, delivering New Year’s wishes for the Year of the Snake.

February 12 – Shifen Venue: “Golden Snake Spreads Love, Illuminating New Taipei”
To coincide with Valentine’s Day, the event featured a “Year of the Snake Double Heart Main Lantern”, designed in the shape of two intertwined hearts formed by serpentine curves. As the sky lanterns gracefully ascended, they symbolized the fusion of love and hope. This addition not only continued the traditional practice of sky lantern blessings but also enhanced the festival’s romantic appeal, drawing couples and newlyweds to witness their wishes come true.

Additionally, the double-heart main lantern integrated intricate sky lantern craftsmanship and lighting effects, enhancing three-dimensionality and brilliance for a visually stunning release scene. Complemented by lighting, sound effects, and live performances, the event offered an immersive viewing experience. With the symbolic twin-heart lantern and the serpentine lights celebrating love, the 2025 Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival was set to become an unforgettable romantic moment for visitors.

User Experience

The festival received widespread acclaim from domestic and international travellers, who admire its blend of tradition and modern technology, creating a rare visual spectacle and an unforgettable romantic atmosphere. During the celebrations, local businesses benefit significantly from increased visitor traffic, while the influx of international tourists—including those from Japan, South Korea, Europe, the US, Poland, Australia, and Southeast Asia, as well as exchange students from 16 countries—has stimulated the local economy and promoted cross-cultural interactions.

The New Taipei City Government utilizes the festival as a platform to showcase the city’s charm on a global scale, earning widespread positive recognition. Meanwhile, the event organizers continue to refine and innovate, ensuring that while preserving the festival’s traditional spirit of blessings, new elements are incorporated to enhance its quality and global visibility.

Sustainability

To preserve the cultural heritage of sky lanterns while protecting the natural environment, the event organisers focused on developing and promoting eco-friendly materials. The festival utilized biodegradable paper and controlled fuel sources to minimize ecological impact. Additionally, residents and cleanup teams swiftly retrieved lantern remains and bamboo frames after the event, ensuring that forests and rivers remain clean.

A “Recycle for Goods” initiative had also been introduced, encouraging visitors to collect sky lantern debris in exchange for household items or charity donations, fostering a sustainable environmental cycle.

Beyond the festival, organizers promoted ecotourism through mountain clean-up hikes and cultural tours, allowing visitors to appreciate both the beauty of sky lanterns and the importance of environmental conservation. In 2025, a digital sky lantern experience was introduced, where attendees could submit their wishes in advance and display them on a large LED Sky Lantern Wall, blending tradition with modern technology.

These initiatives reflected the event’s commitment to cultural preservation and highlighted Pingxi’s fusion of local community engagement and technological innovation, ensuring a harmonious balance between tradition and nature. With its continual advancements in sustainability, the Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival has become a model for balancing tourism appeal with environmental responsibility.