Focus Taiwan
Date: 2017/12/31
By: Shih Hsiu-chuan and Joseph Yeh 

Taipei, Dec. 31 (CNA) Braving cold weather, a huge crowd of revelers gathered in Taipei City Hall Square on Sunday night ready to usher in 2018 at a countdown party featuring a wide array of dance and music performances.

Recognized as the most popular New Year’s Eve celebration in Taiwan, the Taipei countdown party, themed “Happy Together” this year, attracted a huge crowd that was also anticipating the annual fireworks show at the Taipei 101 skyscraper.

Many of the visitors this year came from overseas to see the Taipei 101 fireworks extravaganza, expected to last six minutes long this year.

Dirk, a flight attendant from San Diego, California, said he has visited many places around the world just for the New Year Eve’s countdown, including Melbourne, Sydney, Moscow, New York and Shanghai.

This was his fourth visit to Taipei but the first time to see the New Year’s Eve pyrotechnics. He arrived near the skyscraper at 1 p.m. armed with his cameras and gear just for the show.    [FULL  STORY]