The main lantern of the 2026 Taiwan Lantern Festival, “Radiant Glow — Alishan of the World,” and the mini lantern “OhBear Rides to Chiayi” were officially unveiled. Chiayi County Magistrate Weng Chang-liang attended the launch press conference today (the 9th) at the Grand Hotel Taipei, joined by Deputy Minister of Transportation and Communications Lin Kuo-hsien, Tourism Administration Director-General Chen Yu-hsiu, and creative artists. The event warmly welcomed visitors from across Taiwan to come to Chiayi to enjoy the lantern displays.

Weng Chang-liang stated that this year’s curatorial theme is “Lighting Up Taiwan · Shining in Chiayi.” By integrating local and international elements, the festival showcases Chiayi County’s achievements in cultural development and industrial technology. The unveiling of the main lantern and mini lantern designs today also serves as a major highlight, with hopes of attracting people nationwide to participate in the event.

For this year’s festival site selection, Chiayi County’s unique natural landscapes are combined with modern technology, demonstrating a development approach that both preserves traditional culture and embraces innovation. Weng also revealed that major performances will include the Taiwan Pavilion of the Osaka World Expo, the Aomori Nebuta Festival, Irish step dance, Paper Windmill Theatre, and Ming Hwa Yuan Taiwanese Opera, along with indispensable fireworks and drone shows.

The Ministry of Transportation and Communications noted that the 2026 Taiwan Lantern Festival marks a renewed collaboration with Chiayi County after an eight-year interval. The main lantern is inspired by the globally renowned landmark Alishan, drawing from the imagery of Alishan’s sacred trees. Standing 21 meters tall, the lantern is titled “Radiant Glow — Alishan of the World,” and was jointly created by artists Yao Chung-han, Lu Yen-chen, and Chen Wei-chih.

The lantern’s exterior design centers on the imagery of the sun, sacred trees, and water mist, using recycled wood materials assembled in a collage style to express the spirit of sustainability. The lighting show integrates sound-and-light art with digital media technology, presenting Taiwan’s natural landscapes and cultural depth through modern interpretation to create an immersive visual experience. The main lantern will be lit for the first time at 7:00 p.m. on March 3, the Lantern Festival, and thereafter will present a lighting show every 30 minutes starting from 6:00 p.m. each evening.

The Tourism Administration stated that, compared with the grandeur of the main lantern, the mini lantern design is more playful and approachable. This year marks the first time the 2026 Chinese zodiac sign, the Horse, is combined with Taiwan’s tourism mascot, OhBear, depicting OhBear riding a wooden horse to convey a sense of childlike fun. The mini lantern is named “OhBear Rides to Chiayi,” cleverly incorporating the name of Chiayi County in a humorous and charming way.

Weng Chang-liang added that the 2026 Taiwan Lantern Festival will officially light up on March 3, the Lantern Festival, and run through March 15, lasting a total of 13 days. The exhibition areas will cover four open spaces at the County Government Front Plaza and Prince Boulevard. To facilitate visitors, shuttle bus routes will be arranged to connect directly to the exhibition areas, with coordination made with Taiwan Railways and High Speed Rail services. More than 20,000 parking spaces will also be prepared on site. With large crowds expected, every effort will be made to ensure smooth traffic and an enjoyable experience for all visitors.

The Chiayi County Government stated that the Taiwan Lantern Festival has become a globally recognized lighting art event, and sincerely invites everyone to visit Chiayi County in 2026 to witness this grand artistic celebration.