2019 Taipei Hot Spring Festival Grand Opening October 31 - November 4
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- Posted by：文網商圈產業組
- 2019-10-16 ‧ 7672reads
Dogo Portable Shrine Clash - Beitou Blessing Festival - Hot Spring Feast & Bathing Fun
Featuring Hot Spring Cuisine, Rock Beitou, Classic Opera, Cultural Tours, Blessing Parade
Welcome to Beitou to Experience the Joy of the Festival
- Press Release by: Taipei Hot Spring Development Association
- Date: October 14, 2019
- Contact: Chen Ya-Yu
- Phone: 0970-129229
Remember the spectacular scene in 2015 when the portable shrine clash drew massive crowds? After a four-year hiatus, the Matsuyama City Dogo Portable Shrine Blessing Ceremony from Japan will come to Taiwan for the third time this year. The 18th Taipei Hot Spring Festival will run from October 31 to November 4 around Xinbeitou MRT Station for a 5-day hot spring feast. Beyond the children's portable shrine parade and other exciting activities, visitors can relive the magnificent shrine clash blessing ceremony, which will also combine with the traditional Taiwanese Earth God parade, creating a beautiful interplay of Taiwanese and Japanese cultures and fostering positive cultural exchange. Additionally, continuing the creative spirit upheld over the years, the highly anticipated "Flower Yukata Design Awards" returns, gathering fashion design talents from across Taiwan to create fashionable yet practical beautiful flower yukata. The grand finals will be held on November 3 - everyone is welcome to appreciate and encourage the design talents' works.
This year's festival features nearly 100 hot spring, food, and creative industry vendors. During the event, there are also charity haircuts, blood drives, park cleanups, and breast cancer screenings, embodying the organizer's commitment to community care and environmental protection. Continuing the family-friendly and charitable themes, activities include the joint Beitou and Asia-Pacific Hot Spring Exhibition, charity creative market, Ming Hwa Yuan performances, and more. This year specially adds Classic Small Town creative displays and youthful energy, inviting famous singers from Star, Super Idol, and King of Singing Forest to perform at the Rock Beitou Starlight Concert on four consecutive evenings (10/31, 11/1, 11/3-11/4). Every program is spectacular! Visitors are invited to gather friends for Beitou hot springs, gourmet food, and performances to experience Beitou's bathing culture tour. Local shops also offer various discounts and gifts. The Xinbeitou Underground Street "Emperor's Noodles" specially provides free rental of picnic mats, frisbees, and balls - bring the whole family for a Xinbeitou picnic! Plus various hot spring, accommodation, and dining deals with many gifts, ensuring visitors have everything they need for eating, drinking, and entertainment.
Xinbeitou is a green small town with deep historical, cultural, and storytelling roots. Through the dedicated efforts of Beitou residents, the century-old Xinbeitou Train Station was finally welcomed back in 2017, returning to its hometown after once being relocated to Changhua. The century-old cypress wood fragrance inside the station rekindled sweet memories of the past. In 2019, Beitou welcomed back the regular passenger cars that once traveled the Tamsui Line, complementing the adjacent Xinbeitou MRT Station - a city museum without walls, starting from Beitou. We invite you to come to Xinbeitou and share in the wonder and warmth that hot springs bring us.
Taipei Hot Spring Development Association Chairperson Chou Shui-Mei stated that under the guidance of the Taipei City Department of Information and Tourism and with the full commitment of Beitou hot spring operators, the annual autumn Taipei Hot Spring Festival in Xinbeitou has become not just Beitou's grandest annual celebration, but an international tourism event. Under the active promotion of the Association, Beitou hot spring area's diverse character is gradually revealed, making Xinbeitou a destination with different experiences throughout all four seasons. Combined with international hot spring operator exchanges and learning, international tourists are increasingly drawn to visit, and "staying a night in Xinbeitou" has gradually become a must-include item on Taiwan tourism itineraries. Through the joint efforts of merchants and residents in recent years, the Beitou area has earned numerous honors:
- 2011: Rated as a "Three-Star" attraction by the Michelin Green Guide
- 2012: Beitou Charming Town nominated for Taiwan's Top 10 Tourism Towns
- 2013: Nominated for Taiwan's Top 10 Happy Fun Tours
- 2014: Awarded "Three-Star Commercial District" in Taipei City Star Commercial District Rating
- 2016: Taipei City's most exemplary energy conservation representative
- 2017: Xinbeitou Hot Spring Commercial District won the Taipei Friendly City Highlights Excellence Award
- 2018: Won Tourism Bureau's New Taiwan Top 10 Hot Springs and Northern Region Premier Hot Spring District honors
- 2019: Beitou won Tourism Bureau Classic Small Town, Taiwan Hot Springs Golden Spring Award (Landscape Aesthetics 1st Place, Friendly Service 3rd Place), and Ministry of Economic Affairs SME Division Outstanding Commercial District Friendly Service 2nd Place
The 2019 Taipei Hot Spring Festival, besides the "Matsuyama City Dogo Portable Shrine Blessing Ceremony" that will once again draw massive crowds, also features the children's portable shrine parade warmly welcomed by roadside crowds every year, letting tourists relive the sight of children in spirited outfits chanting slogans and carrying portable shrines in unison. Combined with the most culturally representative Taiwanese Earth God parade for even more spectacle, adding diverse splendor to the festival. This year, besides joining on-site professionally guided weekend hot spring shuttle bus tours of Beitou, the event also integrates the "Taiwan Tourist Shuttle Beitou-Zhuzihu Mini 9 Bus Free Experience Tour" - all guests staying during the event can sign up through their hotel, with limited spots, so book early. The perpetually sold-out Ming Hwa Yuan Taiwanese Opera brings the thrilling "Dragon Prince Overturning the River" this year. Visitors can also join the fun Witch Adventure game for prize draws. The 5-day festival celebration also features a joint hot spring exhibition, Beitou souvenir series, and Beitou cultural specialty stalls with diverse themed booths covering food, drinks, entertainment, and shopping - expected to attract tens of thousands of domestic and international tourists.
The 2019 Taipei Hot Spring Festival launches October 31 for 5 days at the roads and parks surrounding Xinbeitou MRT Station Plaza. Just download the "In Toward Beitou" APP to stay informed about all festival and Beitou information and fully grasp all event deals. This edition partners with American Express Taiwan for the 2019 Beitou Hot Spring Awards, offering various accommodation, dining, and bathing deals through year-end. The Association also simultaneously integrates LINE Pay for more convenient payment, hoping to use diverse technology matching mobile generation payment habits to boost spending in the Beitou hot spring area. Welcome everyone to the "2019 Taipei Hot Spring Festival" to soak in famous springs, enjoy gourmet food, celebrate the festive atmosphere, and feel the charm of Beitou hot springs!
During the event, partial street closures will be implemented at scheduled times. Due to large crowds, please take public transportation. Bus routes to Beitou Park (Xinbeitou Station): 216, 218, 223, 230, 266, 602, s6, s7, s9, s22, s25. Quandu Hotel stop: s25. MRT: Tamsui Line - transfer at Beitou Station to Xinbeitou Branch Line to Xinbeitou Station.