culture & tradition · Taiwan
Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival
新北市平溪天燈節
The short answer
Mass releases of paper sky lanterns in the Pingxi valley; in 2026 there were two sessions, at Pingxi Junior High School and at Shifen Sky Lantern Square, each with nine release waves.
Where
Pingxi District, New Taipei City
Country
Taiwan
When
annual, usually two evening sessions around the Lantern Festival (15th day of the 1st lunar month, February or early March)
Last held
2026-02-27 to 2026-03-03
Next edition
Not announced yet
Organiser
New Taipei City Government (Tourism and Travel Department)
Good to know
2026 sessions: 27 February (Pingxi Junior High School, 100 lanterns per wave) and 3 March (Shifen Square, 150 lanterns per wave). Places in the official mass releases are limited and handed out on the day; transport is by shuttle bus or the Pingxi rail line and is very crowded. 2027 dates not announced; the Lantern Festival falls on 2027-02-20. Sky lanterns can be released at Shifen and Pingxi shops all year. The URL is the New Taipei tourism site, not a dedicated festival page; the organiser department name is from search summaries of city press releases.
Kungfucius says: Write a wish, light the lantern, let go. Kungfucius wished for better tones.
Official website ↗