We were thrilled to learn that a Sky Lantern Festival would be held in Pingxi District. It was going to be our first time attending such an event, and we couldn't wait!
We did some research on how to get there and found out that we could take the 795 Taiwan Tourist Shuttle Bus, which goes directly to Pingxi Junior High School Station. We waited for about an hour at Bojia Elementary School Station before finally getting on the bus. By the time we boarded, it was standing room only, and we were packed inside like sardines — apparently, a lot of people had the same idea of watching the event in Pingxi. Being bumped and jostled on all sides while clinging to the hanging rails for over an hour was no joke. It was exhausting, but honestly, it was also quite an interesting experience. In hindsight, we felt it would have been better to go straight to MRT Taipei Zoo Station to get first dibs on the seats. 😁
After 61 stops, we arrived in Pingxi at around 2 p.m. Crowds of people already filled the streets, and the atmosphere felt wonderfully festive. We heard different languages being spoken everywhere — a true sign of the event's popularity. Since the main event wouldn't start until 6 p.m., we took the opportunity to roam around, grab snacks from street vendors, and explore Pingxi Old Street.
The old street was buzzing with energy, filled with people soaking up the local vibe. Stalls sold Taiwanese delicacies, souvenirs, giant sky lanterns, and small lantern decorations. We even came across shops selling firecrackers and couldn't resist buying some to play with. Let's just say, making them go boom was a whole lot of fun! 🧨🎇🎆😄
We also wandered over to the local train tracks and watched as people wrote their wishes on lanterns before releasing them into the sky. It was such an inspiring sight. It brought back memories of when we, as a family, wrote our own wishes on a lantern in Shifen a few years ago and released it with prayers for their fulfillment.
We stopped for coffee and cake at one of the little cafes along the old street before heading back to the main road to make our way up to Pingxi Junior High School, where the festival would take place. It was already around 5 p.m., and we wanted to secure a good spot to see the program and the lanterns.
The crowd had already grown massive, and it had started to drizzle while we waited for the program to begin. But the light rain didn't dampen our excitement — not one bit. If anything, we regretted not buying a lantern when the festival was first announced. By the time we thought about it, all the lanterns had long been sold out. It would have been epic to be inside the square with a lantern, releasing our own wishes into the night sky. Oh well — maybe next year!
Still, watching the lighted lanterns soar into the sky was a truly momentous experience. It felt like a prayer — of hopes and dreams for new beginnings, for fresh starts, and for the fulfillment of whatever each of us held dear in our hearts. ❤️ It's like sending lights of dreams and wishes to the skies.
The festival released the lanterns in waves, each wave consisting of a hundred or so lanterns floating gently into the darkening sky. We had decided beforehand to leave right after the first wave to avoid the rush of people heading home. There were charter buses lined up to take people back to Taipei City, but we chose to take the same tourist shuttle instead. Once again, we stood the whole way. Once again, it was exhausting. But we went home with our minds filled with the unforgettable sights and sounds of Pingxi — and our hearts filled with hope and wishes for the new year.
