Taiwan
Mid-Autumn Festival 2027 in Taiwan: barbecues, pomelos and mooncakes on 15 September
At a glance
- Dates
- Next: 15 September 2027
- Where
- Taipei riverside parks, Anping in Tainan and Kaohsiung's Love River
- Getting there
- MRT in Taipei and Kaohsiung; city bus to Anping in Tainan
- Cost
- Not listed
- Limits
- BBQ only in marked Taipei zones; banned in Kaohsiung and Tainan parks
The 2026 edition has passed
Dates last checked: 14 October 2026
The festival
In 2026 Taipei marked out just five riverside barbecue zones for Mid-Autumn
Not every riverside park in Taipei allows barbecues. In 2026 there were four permanent zones: under the freeway bridge by Gate 10 in Dajia Riverside Park, under Huazhong Bridge in Huazhong Riverside Park, the round plaza under Hengguang Bridge in Daonan Riverside Park, and the riverbank plaza outside MacArthur Bridge No. 1 in Chengmei Right Bank Riverside Park. For Mid-Autumn an extra zone opened under Dazhi Bridge in Dajia Riverside Park.
Kaohsiung takes the opposite approach: barbecues are banned in all city parks. The Love River and Pier-2 have waterfront paths, both reachable by MRT and light rail. Tainan has no MRT, so take a bus to Anping and walk along the canal; for a barbecue, the Hutoupi scenic area has paid zones.
Barbecuing has not been part of Mid-Autumn for long: it is usually traced to barbecue-sauce adverts in the 1980s. The moon legends are far older — Chang'e flying to the moon and the jade rabbit pounding medicine in the moon palace — and still appear on mooncake boxes.
Booking
There are no tickets or transport to book for this page right now.
Details
Check the city rules before choosing where to spend the night: Taipei allows riverside barbecues only in designated zones, while Kaohsiung and Tainan ban them in every city park.
Date and the lunar calendar
Mid-Autumn falls on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month, so its date on the Western calendar changes every year.
Barbecues and moon-watching are concentrated on the night itself and the one or two evenings before. Mid-Autumn is a public holiday in Taiwan, and the official 2027 holiday calendar is published by the Directorate-General of Personnel Administration.
Taipei, Tainan or Kaohsiung
Taipei: riverside parks allow barbecues only in zones designated by the city's Hydraulic Engineering Office.
Tainan: walk around Anping and the canal for the moon; bakeries in the old town sell mooncakes and mung bean pastries.
Kaohsiung: the Love River and Pier-2 have waterfront paths, both reachable by MRT and light rail.
Limits on the night
Barbecues and moon-watching cluster on Mid-Autumn night and the one or two nights before, and parking near riverside parks is hard to find. Mid-September can still bring afternoon thunderstorms or a typhoon, and heavy rain makes charcoal hard to light and soaks food and offerings.
Getting around: MRT or car
In Taipei and Kaohsiung the MRT reaches the riverside parks and the Love River, and Kaohsiung also has light rail. Tainan has no MRT, so take a city bus to Anping.
On the Kaohsiung light rail, Zhen'ai Pier (C11) by the Love River is one stop from Pier-2 Dayi (C12).
Where to stay
If you are travelling in for the holiday, stay near an MRT station so the trip back at night is a short walk or a stop or two.
Costs
The main costs are transport (MRT, buses), accommodation, and barbecue food, mooncakes and pomelos.
Barbecues are usually shared, with each person bringing some of the food. Charcoal, grills and skewers are sold in supermarkets and hypermarkets in the weeks before the festival. Budget mainly for transport and accommodation; the rest depends on group size.
Barbecue rules and fines
Barbecues are allowed only in designated zones and during opening hours. According to 2026 Mid-Autumn reports, barbecuing elsewhere can bring a fine of NT$2,400–6,000 in Taipei and NT$1,000–6,000 in Kaohsiung (after a warning is ignored); Tainan bans barbecues in all parks and green spaces, with fines of NT$1,200–6,000.
Put the charcoal out properly and take your rubbish with you.
Pomelos and pomelo-rind hats
Pomelos are a Mid-Autumn staple alongside mooncakes and mung bean pastries. The thick white peel is often put on children's heads as a pomelo hat.
Moon-watching customs
You do not need a big event to watch the moon. A yard, an arcade, a riverbank or a waterfront path all work.
Right after moonrise the moon sits low and buildings can block it, so it is easier to see a little later in the evening. On cloudy nights it shows only through gaps in the cloud. Some households still set out offerings in the yard while they watch.
Chang'e, the jade rabbit and mooncake boxes
The moon legends are old: Chang'e flying to the moon and the jade rabbit pounding medicine in the moon palace, both still printed on mooncake boxes. Today the mooncakes and pomelos on the table and the grill under the arcade usually share the same night.
Good to know
- Taipei barbecue zones
- In 2026 four riverside parks had permanent designated zones: Dajia, Huazhong, Daonan and Chengmei right bank. For Mid-Autumn an extra zone opened under Dazhi Bridge in Dajia Riverside Park, until midnight on 28 September
- Kaohsiung and Tainan
- Barbecues are banned in all Kaohsiung city parks; in Tainan, the Hutoupi scenic area has paid barbecue zones
- Customs
- Barbecuing, peeling pomelo, eating mooncakes, and setting a table in the yard or under the eaves to gaze at the moon
- Why the barbecue
- Taiwan's Mid-Autumn barbecue stems from a nationwide craze set off by a barbecue-sauce ad in the 1980s, and is not an ancient tradition
- Weather
- Mid-September can still bring afternoon thunderstorms or a typhoon, so check the forecast; thick cloud can hide the moon
FAQ
5
Which city is best for Mid-Autumn?
In Taipei you can barbecue in designated riverside-park zones, four of which were open permanently in 2026: Dajia, Huazhong, Daonan and Chengmei right bank. Barbecues are banned in all Kaohsiung city parks, but the Love River and Pier-2 are good for a moonlit walk. In Tainan, walk around Anping and the canal, or barbecue at the paid zones in the Hutoupi scenic area.
Is it better to drive or take the MRT at Mid-Autumn?
Take the MRT. Both Taipei and Kaohsiung have MRT lines to the riverside parks and the Love River, and Kaohsiung also has a light rail. Tainan has no MRT, so use a city or direct bus. Parking near the parks is very hard to find that night.
Is the Mid-Autumn barbecue an old tradition?
No. It is usually traced to barbecue-sauce adverts in the 1980s and has continued every year since; many families now barbecue on Mid-Autumn night.
What else is on the table besides barbecue?
Mooncakes, mung bean pastries and pomelos. The thick white pomelo rind is often put on a child's head as a hat.
What helps with moon-watching?
Any yard, arcade, riverbank or waterfront path with a view of the sky works; there is no need for a big event. Pick a time with thin cloud, and wait until the moon is a little higher so buildings do not block it.
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