The China Post
Date: February 4, 2017
By: James Lo

TAIPEI, Taiwan — Taipei Mayor Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) said that the city

This year’s main attraction lantern, Chick Fiesta, is seen in this photograph. The lantern was commissioned in accordance to the Chinese Zodiac, in which the Rooster will be the signature Zodiac lantern. (CNA)

government decided to use a new location for the Taipei Lantern Festival this year and had implemented new events and lantern designs to attract larger crowds to the festival that will open today.

Ko was quoted as saying that the new ideas were carried out so that the city could redeem itself from the unfortunate “Fortune Monkey (福祿猴)” lantern blunder last year, in which the mascot was deemed excessively ugly and subject to widespread derision.

The festival is held at popular tourist hotspot Ximending, with an opening ceremony scheduled for 6 p.m. around the Red House Theater area today.    [FULL  STORY]