Taiwan
Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival 2027: mass releases est. around Lantern Festival night, 20 February
At a glance
- Dates
- Next: 20 February 2027 (est.)
- Where
- Pingxi Junior High and Shifen Square, New Taipei (2026)
- Getting there
- TRA to Ruifang, then the Pingxi Line to Shifen or Pingxi station
- Cost
- Mass-release tickets were free (2026)
- Limits
- No vehicles near the venue 16:00–23:00 on event days (2026)
The 2026 edition has passed
Dates last checked: 14 October 2026
The festival
Along the tracks in Shifen, lanterns go up on ordinary days too
The Pingxi Line is a TRA branch line that leaves the main line at Ruifang. Shifen and Pingxi are both small stations that open straight onto the old streets, where the main lane is pedestrian-only and the track runs right past the shopfronts, so people step aside when a train comes in. The lantern shops along the street sell lanterns and lend brushes for writing on the four white cotton-paper panels.
In the tourist season the shops open all day, so a lantern can be released on any ordinary day; prices depend on size and colour. A fuel block is tied to the base, and once lit, hot air fills the paper and lifts it, which is why lanterns must not be released under power lines or eaves.
The mass releases around Lantern Festival night are organised by the New Taipei City Tourism and Travel Department; in 2026 there was one session in Pingxi and one in Shifen. Singers and light projections filled the gaps between waves, with Fang Chi-wei, Yu Kuan-hua and AcQUA among the performers.
Booking
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Prices and ratings checked 13 Oct 2026
Transport
From Taipei
New Taipei private charter: Jiufen, Shifen, Pingxi, Yehliu
Roads close and crowds build on festival night, so a charter is worth considering for groups. Cars for 1–8 people, hotel or airport pick-up, drivers who speak Chinese, English, Japanese or Korean.
from NT$2,610
See plans
Tickets and tours
Shifen, Pingxi
Sky lantern release on Shifen Old Street
Release your own lantern in Shifen on any day, not only the festival night.
from NT$200
See pricesNew Taipei
Yehliu, Jiufen, Shifen & Golden Waterfall day tour
Meet at Taipei Main Station (East Gate 3). About 7–10 hours with a Chinese- or English-speaking guide, covering Yehliu, Jiufen, Shifen and the Golden Waterfall.
from NT$650
See prices
Details
Come by train, TRA to Ruifang and then the Pingxi Line: on event days vehicles are barred around the venue from late afternoon. The next mass releases are expected around Lantern Festival night 2027.
Pinning down the 2027 dates
Lantern Festival night in 2027 falls on a Saturday, and the next edition is expected around then. In 2026 the two sessions fell on Lantern Festival night and the Friday before it; the New Taipei City Tourism and Travel Department sets the nights and venues each year.
If you are booking time off, keep that weekend free, then book trains and rooms once the sessions are announced.
Getting there on the Pingxi Line
Take TRA from Taipei to Ruifang and change to the Pingxi Line for Shifen or Pingxi station; both open straight onto the old streets.
Traffic is restricted around the venue on event days. In 2026, only vehicles with a pass could enter between 10:00 and 16:00, and from 16:00 to 23:00 all vehicles were barred, scooters included, so drivers had to park outside the controlled area.
An evening outdoors in the hills
The mass release takes place in an open-air square at night; in 2026 the last wave at the Pingxi session went up around 21:20. Pingxi is in the hills and cooler than Taipei after dark, so bring an extra layer, and wear sports shoes because the stone paving and platforms get slippery in rain.
Planning your evening
Arrive before dark, release your own lantern at a shop on the old street first, then go to the square for the mass release.
When the mass release ends, most visitors head for the same few Pingxi Line trains, so having dinner on the old street and taking a later train is easier.
Getting back and shuttle buses
On both 2026 event days, Pingxi Line trains started and ended at Ruifang, and TRA added services and cars. New Taipei also ran shuttle buses to and from MRT Taipei Zoo Station, Ruifang Station and Keelung Station.
Train and shuttle arrangements for 2027 will be published by TRA and New Taipei before the festival.
How to release a lantern
Buy a lantern at a shop; prices depend on size and colour. Unfold the white cotton paper and write your wish with the brush the shop lends you.
Two people hold opposite bottom corners, wait until the fuel block burns strongly and the lantern swells, then let go together.
Open flame and where not to release
The fuel block under the lantern is an open flame, so follow the shop staff for lighting and letting go. Do not release lanterns under power lines, under eaves or anywhere it is not allowed.
Where the sky lantern custom comes from
In early days bandits often raided the hills and villagers fled into the mountains; releasing a sky lantern was a signal of safety to the family left behind. Over time the lanterns came to carry wishes instead, which is what the lantern shops on the old street sell them for today.
Good to know
- Location
- Pingxi District, New Taipei. In 2026 the Pingxi session was at Pingxi Junior High School and the Shifen session at Shifen Square.
- Release tickets
- Free. In 2026 they were handed out at the venue service desk from 10:30 on the day until gone, and could also be booked in advance on the event website.
- Getting there
- Take TRA to Ruifang and change to the Pingxi Line for Shifen or Pingxi station. Roads around the venue are closed to all vehicles, scooters included, on event days.
- Getting back
- On both 2026 event days, Pingxi Line trains started and ended at Ruifang, TRA added services and cars, and New Taipei ran shuttle buses to and from MRT Taipei Zoo, Ruifang and Keelung stations.
- Any-day releases
- Lantern shops on the old street open all day in the tourist season, so you can release a lantern on an ordinary day without waiting for the festival.
- Origin
- The sky lantern originated in the early days when bandits often raided the hills; villagers fled into the mountains and released sky lanterns as a signal of safety to their family.
FAQ
4
How do you get to Pingxi from Taipei?
Take TRA from Taipei to Ruifang and change to the Pingxi Line for Shifen or Pingxi station. On the 2026 event days, vehicles were barred from the area around the venue from 16:00 to 23:00, so trains and shuttle buses were the only way in.
How do you release a sky lantern?
Buy one at a lantern shop, unfold the white cotton paper and write your wish with a brush. Two people then hold opposite bottom corners, and once the fuel block is burning strongly and the lantern has swelled, both let go together. Shop staff usually help light it and say when to let go.
What to wear and bring to Pingxi
Pingxi is in the hills and cooler than Taipei at night, so bring an extra layer and wear sports shoes for the stone paving and station platforms. Follow the lantern shop staff for lighting and letting go, and never release a lantern under power lines.
How do you get a release ticket for the mass release, and is it free?
It is free. In 2026 tickets were handed out at the venue service desk from 10:30 on the day until gone, and could also be booked in advance on the event website. Without a ticket you can still buy a lantern at a shop on the old street and release it yourself.
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