Taiwan Lantern Festival to feature baseball following historic win

Taipei, Dec. 22 (CNA) The upcoming Taiwan Lantern Festival in Taoyuan will incorporate features of baseball to celebrate the nation's historic victory at the WBSC Premier12 tournament last month, the Tourism Administration announced Saturday.

Such a design is expected to reflect the joy and pride of Taiwan's triumph while highlighting baseball's status as the nation's beloved sport, administration head Chou Yung-hui (周永暉) said during the installation ceremony of the main lantern.

Titled "Infinite Paradise," the main lantern will be showcased during the Feb. 12-23 festival held near the Taoyuan Airport MRT's A18 station, Chou said.

A separate event venue will be set up at the MRT's A19 station, with the two areas together featuring over 300 installations, he added.

According to the administration, the annual festival will also bring the theme "Lights Linking a Thousand Ponds Across Taoyuan" to life with spectacular lantern displays inspired by the northern Taiwanese city's iconic landscapes.

In addition, the Taipei City Government announced Sunday that it will distribute 100,000 small lanterns during the Taipei Lantern Festival, which will be held from Feb. 2-16.

According to the city's Department of Information and Tourism, the free distribution of small lanterns will resume after a six-year hiatus, after more than 70 percent of the public supported the reintroduction provided it aligns with environmental stability.