Taipei Summer Festival ends with dazzling fireworks show

Taipei, Aug. 31 (CNA) The 2025 Taipei Summer Festival, held in the city's old town area of Dadaocheng, concluded on Saturday with an eight-minute fireworks display, as more than 146,000 spectators gathered at the location, surpassing last year's 130,000.

Crowds began gathering at the Dadaocheng Wharf and Yanping Riverside Park around 6 p.m., and by 7 p.m., the area was packed as visitors eagerly awaited the 8 p.m. finale fireworks show of the nearly month-long summer festival.

In his address before the show, Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) highlighted that the theme of Saturday's fireworks display was "Love Comes at the Right Time."

Noting Friday was the Qixi Festival (Chinese Valentine's Day), Chiang encouraged couples in the audience to seize the opportunity to confess their feelings.

"From my own experience, tonight is the best time to do so," he said.

According to the Taipei Department of Information and Tourism, the fireworks display featured the debut of the "Chengcai Thousand-Wheel" effect, accompanied by dazzling patterns such as golden crowns, silver willows, blooming peonies, blue bursts, and red heart motifs.

Department officials said that by 9 p.m., the crowd had exceeded 146,000 people, surpassing the number of over 130,000 visitors in 2024.

While traffic restrictions were lifted at 9:15 p.m., there was a minor incident when a car owner, apparently frustrated by the control measures, shouted angrily outside the Danshui No. 3 Water Gate shortly before 9 p.m., but police were able to calmly resolve the situation and guide the vehicle out, without any conflict with the crowd, officials said.

The annual Dadaocheng summer event began on Aug. 6, and featured four fireworks shows on the opening day, as well as on Aug. 13, 20 and 30, along with five musical performances.