With 50 days remaining until the 2026 Taiwan Lantern Festival, the Chiayi County Government held the “Chiayi・Journey with Light — Lantern Festival Promotional Video and Chiayi Dream Lantern Zone Press Conference” today (the 12th). The event marked the first public release of the festival’s promotional video and unveiled the largest core theme lantern zone, “Chiayi Dream,” located at the County Government Front Plaza, allowing the public to preview the festival’s core content and future planning direction in advance.

The press conference opened with a highlight performance titled “Prince Ambassador” presented by the Sandaime Creative Puppet Theatre Team. The team has created large-scale theatrical puppets and glove puppet designs for the Taiwan Lantern Festival, bringing Chiayi’s local cultural elements onto the festival stage.

The Lantern Festival promotional video “Chiayi・Journey with Light” presents Chiayi’s accumulated achievements and transformations in recent years across agriculture, culture, industry, and technology through visual storytelling.

The video showcases farmers, artisans, athletes, and the younger generation engaged in the technology industry. These real people and everyday scenes are the driving force supporting Chiayi’s continued progress.

Director Wu Chao-Chun stated that this film breaks away from traditional Lantern Festival imagery such as lanterns and fireworks, instead starting from the perspective of people to tell the story of the collective “Light of Chiayi” formed by those who have long lived in Chiayi.

Through the film, the director portrays the quiet dedication of Chiayi residents and the process of Chiayi’s transformation from a major agricultural county into one integrating agriculture, industry, and technology, conveying a message of Chiayi moving forward with hope.

Chiayi County Magistrate Weng Chang-liang said that the lines in the film, “The light here moves more slowly,” and “It’s okay to move slowly—one day we will shine brighter than others,” deeply resonated with him.

He noted that over the past seven years, Chiayi has seized opportunities and is now connecting with the international community through developments such as drones, TSMC, and outlet projects. The Taiwan Lantern Festival will convey to people across the nation that “Chiayi is changing,” helping to overturn long-standing stereotypes about Chiayi.

One of the highlights of this year’s festival, the Chiayi Dream Lantern Zone, will be set at the Chiayi County Government Front Plaza, combining artistic installations with light and shadow technologies to present the city’s development trajectory.

The most eye-catching feature is the main lantern artwork “New Path of Light,” created by internationally renowned land artist Wang Wen-Chih, a Chiayi native. Standing approximately 17 meters tall and 20 meters wide, it is a large-scale immersive installation that visitors can walk into and interact with.

“New Path of Light” continues Wang Wen-Chih’s signature bamboo-weaving craftsmanship, using locally sourced Chiayi bamboo handwoven by artisans. The work integrates metal structures with technological lighting effects, symbolizing Chiayi’s journey from being rooted in the land toward the future.

Wang Wen-Chih hopes that visitors entering the artwork will have more opportunities for interaction, allowing the piece to serve as a medium connecting people with one another.

The Chiayi Dream Lantern Zone will feature augmented reality (AR), projection mapping, and dynamic LED installations, presenting a 10-minute light and shadow performance every 30 minutes. The performances trace Chiayi’s story from its historical origins and agricultural development to its recent technological industry planning, linking the city’s narrative of moving from the past toward the future.

Weng Chang-liang also revealed plans to invite French performance groups, Irish step dance performances, and exhibits showcasing Japan’s Aomori Nebuta Festival, as well as the establishment of a 2-hectare family-friendly lantern zone, along with Chiayi Premium Produce, Indigenous lantern zones, and religious-themed lantern zones. These elements highlight local特色 while connecting with international cultures, allowing visitors to experience Chiayi’s transformation and vitality.

The 2026 Taiwan Lantern Festival will take place from March 3 to March 15, under the theme “Light Up Taiwan・Illuminate Chiayi.” The festival will feature one main lantern, two secondary lanterns, and 22 themed lantern zones across the County Government Front Plaza and surrounding areas, showcasing more than 600 works. By integrating local culture, artistic creation, and technological performances, the festival will present Chiayi’s urban character and development achievements.

Further event information will be released progressively. For more details, please visit the official 2026 Taiwan Lantern Festival website:
https://2026taiwanlanternfestival.org/