culture & tradition · Taiwan
Yanshui Beehive Fireworks Festival
鹽水蜂炮
The short answer
Two-night folk event in Yanshui District, Tainan, in which racks of bottle rockets ('beehives') are fired into the crowd during a Lantern Festival procession; it has more than 100 years of history.
Where
Yanshui, Tainan
Country
Taiwan
When
annual, 14th and 15th days of the 1st lunar month (Lantern Festival, February or early March)
Last held
2026-03-02 to 2026-03-03
Next edition
2027-02-19 to 2027-02-20
Next dates are
calendar
Good to know
Dangerous: 36 injuries were reported over the two days in 2026 (Focus Taiwan, citing Tainan's Bureau of Civil Affairs). Participants need full protective gear (full-face helmet, thick non-synthetic clothing, gloves, neck cover). 2027 dates are derived from the lunar calendar (Lantern Festival 2027-02-20); the official programme was not yet published. No working official URL or organiser name could be confirmed.
Kungfucius says: The only festival where the dress code is a motorcycle helmet. Kungfucius watches from a respectful distance.