Taipei Summer Festival to feature four firework shows this year

Taipei, July 15 (CNA) The annual Taipei Summer Festival in Dadaocheng will feature fewer firework shows this year and temporary traffic restrictions will be imposed, according to the city's Department of Information and Tourism on Monday.

Firework displays will be held on four days this year (July 17, July 24, July 31 and Aug. 10) compared with eight days last year, the department said, indicating that the reduction aims to minimize inconvenience to local residents.

The first three shows, all of which take place on Wednesdays, will last for five minutes while the final show on Aug. 18 will last for eight minutes, the department added.

According to the event's official website, the 2024 Taipei Summer Festival in Dadaocheng will "light up the unique Taipei night sky" with four different firework displays on the themes "Vibrant Taipei" (July 17), "Brilliant Dadaocheng" (July 24), "Taipei Starry Night" (July 31), and "Love Song 140" (Aug. 10).

On event days held on Wednesdays, the festival is open to the public between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m., and firework displays are scheduled to begin from 8 p.m., according to the event's promotional materials.

To facilitate the event and reduce the impact on local residents, vehicles (including motorcycles) will not be allowed to enter or exit the Dadaocheng Wharf area through Floodgate No. 3 from Civic Boulevard, Floodgate No. 4 near the end of Nanjing West Road, and Floodgate No. 5 near the intersection of Huanhe North Road and Minsheng West Road from 7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. on event days.

During this period, traffic restrictions will also be imposed on several roads leading to and around the wharf area, including Liangzhou Street, Yanping N. Road, Tacheng Street and Xining N. Road, the department said.

Residents living in the area, however, will be allowed to enter provided they show their national identification cards when requested by the authorities.

Meanwhile, in order to set up an emergency contingency zone around the festival event, motorists will not be allowed to park their vehicles around floodgates No. 3 to No. 5 from 10 a.m. to midnight on July 17, July 24 and July 31, it added.

Also, YouBike 2.0 rentals at Dadaocheng Wharf station and bike rentals at Taipei Riverside Park Bike Rental Dadaocheng Station will be suspended from 6 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. on event days.

Crowd control measures will be put in place on sidewalks on the Zhongxiao Bridge and Taipei Bridge, as well as the Dunhuang viewing platform and the overpass connecting the Dihua Recreational Sports Park and the Diwai Road bike trail, from 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. on event days, the department said.

Located between MRT Beimen Station and MRT Daqiaotou Station, Dadaocheng is a popular historic tourist attraction and shopping area in western Taipei's Datong District.

In addition to the firework displays, this year's Taipei Summer Festival in Dadaocheng will also feature a range of attractions including music performances by local artists, Taipei River cruises and enchanting riverside lighting installations.

Update

The opening night fireworks show on July 17 attracted around 66,000 spectators, according to the Taipei City Department of Information and Tourism.