Now, this may seem like a stupid question, but I’ve only been here a little over a month, so I think I’m allowed to still be ignorant of such things
My question is are there any events in Taipei during the Mid Autumn Festival? Since getting here I’ve felt entirely too culturally lacking (I missed BOTH the Qixi festival, and the Ghost festival, and I refuse to miss any other major events) Also, any recommendations for good mooncake bakeries? I live in Tamsui, but I travel to Shida everyday for school, so anywhere is fine.
(Whoops! Forgot to mention, I’m a vegetarian, so I’d need a bakery that sells vegetarian mooncakes!)
Mid-Autumn Festival is really a family holiday. So there won’t be much too see in the way of events per se unless Taipei City puts on some cringe-inducing pop music festival.
But what you can do is head down to the riverside parks and join the multitudes doing the now-traditional family bbq in the moonlight. There will be thousands of people chilling and having a good time. It’s a much better look at the real Taiwan than some fake cultural event.
It is a shame that you missed the Ghost Festival. It’s the most important event on the religious calendar in Taiwan although things are bit subdued in Taipei compared to elsewhere.
The triennial boat burning festival is also coming up Oct 10-18. One of the biggest and most visually spectacular displays of folk faith on the island.
any more info in this? sounds cool. Is it in Taipei, or else, where…?[/quote]
Donggang, south of Kaohsiung. Oct 10 is the opening celebration where they invite the gods back to earth. The boat burning is on the night of the 17th till dawn on the 18th. This is the day most people go. Starts at Donglong Temple. I’ll write more later.
Perhaps. There were plenty of people bbqing last year.
But fear not, Taipei County has officially announced that bbqing will be allowed on its side of the river. The area north of Zhongzheng bridge up to the Dahan river would be the most convenient for people in Taipei City.
I strongly second Muzha Man’s recommendation about the boat burning festival. This is one of Taiwan’s truly unique and most intense events. Go if at all possible.
Nope. Unfortunately, now BBQs, fireworks, etc. are allowed in Taipei City’s river bank parks. Rats. :fume:
It might be rainy this weekend -with a possibility of typhoon- which will make “moon gazing” -one of the officially traditional activities- virtually impossible.
So, stay at home, drink tea and have some nice mooncakes while they last. In the evening, grab your gear and heat out to a nice open area -or roofed, better- to charcola meat and wash it all down with beer.
