2015 Taiwan International Festival of Hakka Culture to Open This October in Hsinchu County

The 2015 Taiwan International Festival of Hakka Culture is scheduled to take place from the 14th through 25th of October 2015 in Hsinchu County. For the first time, the festival will draw together industry, government, and academia. Organized around three major events: the International Folk Drums Arts Festival, the World Hakka Conference, and the Hakka Expo, the Festival aims to not only propel Hsinchu into the international spotlight, but also showcase the richness of Taiwan’s Hakka culture to the world.

The festival will be organized around one focal point, two highlights, three main events, and four themes. The focal point will be the World Hakka Night, around which tens of thousands are invited to assemble. The two highlights are two illumination events that will light up the city and welcome visitors. The three major events are the International Folk Drums Arts Festival, the World Hakka Conference, and the Hakka Expo. The four themes around which the exhibitions will be presented include Hakka history and culture, Hakka landscapes and sights, activities for children, and the Hakka folk drums.

The two illuminations will be staged at the Northern and Southern gates of the exhibition venue, to brighten Hsinchu’s night sky with an ocean of light. The Northern Gate will feature a sacred painted pig, to welcome the Chinese year of the Pig, and a persimmon alley, as a token of good fortune. The Southern Gate will be a feast of lights and nature, as a bamboo installation will be lit up amid an ocean of flowers.

Starting on October 14th, the Hakka Expo will open its doors for visitors to come and discover Hakka culture in all its richness and diversity. The exhibition will include Hakka history and famous figures, music, crafts and products, Hakka festivities, green lifestyle, and anime and interactive animation. On the opening night, there will be performances by drum artists from Shanxi Taiwan, New Zealand, and Japan, while famous pop artists including HEBE, Cyndi Wang, and Magic Power will also take to the stage for a rousing night of music and celebration. On October 17th, Hakka folk drums will take over the streets in a show full of cheerfulness and creativity.

Hsinchu County has developed its tourism resources alongside mountains, coast, and lakes, combining the charms of the railroad, anime, and Hakka culture, culminating into the world-famous nine-station Neiwan railway track, a “Top Ten Taiwan Tour” of the Lion’s Head Mountain track, and making itself the “dream factory” of Taiwan’s animation industry.

For more information, please visit the website at http://2015hakka.net.