The 2026 Taiwan Lantern Festival continues to draw massive crowds, and the “TEAM TAIWAN Parade,” held on the evening of March 7, is regarded as the most significant large‑scale event of the festival period. Before the parade began, a technological light show featuring 1,000 MIT‑made drones presented “Unsung Heroes,” paying tribute to individuals from various professions who silently support society. More than 30 performing groups—over 1,000 participants—then marched through the lantern zones, lifting the Chiayi night to its spectacular peak.

The festival’s first drone show marked the debut of a large‑scale performance using 1,000 MIT drones. It opened with baseball imagery to echo the ongoing 2026 World Baseball Classic (WBC), followed by scenes such as “Taiwan’s Bravery” and “TEAM TAIWAN,” uniting the public in cheering for Taiwan.

“Unsung Heroes” highlighted frontline professionals who rarely stand under the spotlight yet keep society running—medical personnel, police officers, firefighters, Taipower engineers, sanitation crews, and military service members.

After the drone performance, the “TEAM TAIWAN Parade” officially set off at 6:45 p.m., marching along Xinyi 1st Road and Prince Avenue for nearly one kilometer.

The parade unfolded under four major themes: “Illuminating Taiwan, Lighting Up Chiayi,” “Chiayi Lantern Arena,” “Cheer for Taiwan,” and “Make Friends with the World.” Blending traditional performing troupes, music, dance, sports, folk arts, and international cultural exchange, it became the signature highlight of this year’s festival.

Paper Windmill Theatre presented its iconic large‑scale performance “Rain Horse,” accompanied by the grand, powerful opening by the Puzi Prince Lion & Drum Ensemble. Chiayi’s local cultural groups, community organizations, and arts collectives also joined the procession, showcasing regional cultural strength and community vitality.

In line with the “TEAM TAIWAN” theme, sports performance groups—including cheerleading teams, street dance, taekwondo, tai chi, unicycling groups, and senior street dance teams—added energetic rhythm and demonstrated Taiwan’s cross‑generational enthusiasm for sports.

The General Association of Chinese Culture featured the “2026 Taiwan–Japan Friendship: Aomori Nebuta Arrives in Chiayi” series, with Taiwan‑exclusive Nebuta lanterns appearing in the parade. They performed alongside Bloco Força, BMG Performing Arts Group, Li Wan‑Ru Middle Eastern Arts Group, Nishikawa Toshimi Dance School, and the Tokushima Awa Odori Association, turning the “TEAM TAIWAN Parade” into a grand international celebration representing Taiwan.

Chiayi County Government stated that the 2026 Taiwan Lantern Festival, themed “Illuminating Taiwan, Lighting Up Chiayi,” reached its peak with the drone show and the TEAM TAIWAN Parade on the evening of March 7, elevating the festival’s atmosphere to its highest point. From honoring unsung heroes in the night sky to uniting diverse groups, generations, and cultures in street performances, Chiayi demonstrated its passion and energy as the host city, allowing the public to feel a shared sense of pride and hope