Each year, the Lantern Festival brought communities together through a tradition that was easy to join and understand. In 2026, Taiwan shone brighter as the celebration opened with the theme “Illuminating Taiwan, Lighting Up Chiayi.” Held at the Front Plaza in Chiayi County on March 3, the event welcomed both locals and foreign residents, offering a shared space to experience the culture firsthand.

Leading the ceremony was Taiwanese leader Lai Ching-te, who lit the main lantern “C,” joined by minister of Transportation and Communications Chen Shih-kai, Chiayi County magistrate Weng Chang-liang, and Tourism Administration director-general Chen Yu-hsiu.

Held until March 15, the festival spanned two main areas: the Main Exhibition Area and the County Government Exhibition Area. The event featured one main lantern, two secondary lanterns, 22 themed zones, and over 600 works. The exhibits traced Chiayi’s story, from its indigenous heritage and forestry roots to agriculture, tourism, and smart city development.

Lai Ching-te said hosting the event in Chiayi County reflected its shift from an agricultural base to a growing center for industry and technology, adding that culture grounded the nation while technology drove its progress.

Transportation minister Chen Shih-kai noted that the festival’s return after eight years highlighted the county’s range—from natural landscapes to emerging industries—through displays that combined ecology and technology, positioning it as a national cultural event linked to tourism and industry, while the main lantern and exhibition zones reflected Taiwan’s push for sustainability and its core values.

In the middle of it all, a tall beam of light rose into the night sky, casting a soft glow that gathered the crowd in. The main lantern, created by artists Yao Chung-han, Lu Yen-chen, and Chen Wei-chih, drew from Alishan’s sacred trees and used recycled wood to highlight sustainability. Integrating elements of the sun, trees, and water, it was paired with an immersive audiovisual show that presented Chiayi’s story while reflecting Taiwan’s culture-led and technology-driven direction.

The exhibition was laid out as a guided journey, with each zone leading clearly into the next, allowing guests and visitors to move through the experience with ease. It began with “Tracing the Light of the Deer,” highlighting indigenous heritage and its connection to nature, followed by “Light Shining in the Woods” and “Harvest Jubilee,” revisiting the region’s forestry and agricultural roots. The experience then moved through “From Chiayi, to the world” and “Around Taiwan Adventures,” opening up to the country’s landscapes and global outlook, before concluding with “Light Arrives in Chiayi” and “Tech Carnival,” which focused on cultural exchange and a forward-looking vision of technology and smart cities.

The festival also introduced the handheld lantern “OhBear Arrives in Chiayi,” combining a Year of the Horse theme with Taiwan’s tourism mascot, OhBear, shown riding a rocking horse to symbolize joy and arrival. It also featured the Tech World Taiwan Pavilion from the Osaka World Expo and a “Team Taiwan Parade,” which included Japan’s Aomori Nebuta Festival lantern, the Paper Windmill Theatre, and international performers, highlighting cultural exchange and global connections.

The celebration showed how tradition can bring people together in a simple and meaningful way. As Chiayi lit up, it gave both locals and foreign visitors a chance to better understand the culture, proving that these shared experiences continue to connect people.