Autumn truly is an artful time in the capital, a place where artists young and old find inspiration in the metropolis’ ever-changing facade and myriad traditions kept alive for centuries. There’s never a bad time to visit Taipei, but when the weather cools and the culture flows, autumn might just be the best season of all to see what the city has to offer.
2019 Taipei Jazz Festival
The Taipei Jazz Festival (台北爵士音樂節) takes “Swing” as its theme this year and has invited jazz stars including Jun Kung (恭碩良), Zhang Wei Zhi ( 張為智) and the Japanese jazz band the H ZETTRIO to perform. In a continuing tradition, live shows will be presented in outdoor venues like Zhongcheng Park ( 忠誠公園 ), Songshan Cultural and Creative Park (松山文創園區) and Daan Park (大安森林公園). Coupled with an open jam, lectures and workshops, fans can experience full-scale jazz energy and swing from the inside out.
Website: https://www.taipeijazzfestival.info/
Date: Now – Oct 27
Taipei Poetry Festival
With “The Woodpecker on the Wall” as its theme, the Taipei Poetry Festival (台北詩歌節) employs the imagery of a “wall” to convey the notion of a boundary, yet also signifying the inspiring rise of the LGBTQ community in Taiwan. The festival invites Dan Osano, an openly gay Japanese tanka singer, to be the city’s poet-in-residence and to talk out about how to express a different voice in a society like a woodpecker chipping away at the wall bit by bit. German poet Wolf Biermann will appear at the festival as well. His poetry and musical voice not only draw on the heartstrings but also exhilarate his audience.
Website: http://poetryfestival.taipei/2019/
Date: Sep 21 – Oct 6
2019 Nuit Blanche Taipei
Entering its fourth year, Nuit Blanche Taipei selects Neihu (內湖) and Dazhi (大直), two relatively new districts in Taipei, as the stages to present the duality of Taipei. While the main theme is “double-sided ballet,” the opening ceremony on October 5 has invited new media artists and Anarchy Dance Theater and HH to attend, rendering Taipei as a nighttime wall-less art museum, stage, and street theater! There will be more than 20 shows and over 18 nocturnal art exhibits.
Website: nuitblanchetaipei.info
Date: Oct 5 – Oct 6
2019 Tua-Tiu-Tiann International Festival of Arts
Tua-Tiu-Tiann International Festival of Arts (大稻埕國際藝術節) is dedicated to the preservation of culture and arts in Tua-Tiu-Tiann, also known as Dadaocheng. This year the bold concept of “Street Co-exhibition” has been proposed for the first time. Feature performances have been planned to display the present state of Dadaocheng. The major event “Time Machine Theater—1920’s Costume Parade” connects with the spirit of the Roaring 20s. “Street Gathering” brings to life local originality and special characteristics. The “Dadaocheng and the World” and “Creative Talk” forum series of the festival will discuss various cultural issues and topics. (Read also: 15 suggestions for a day in Dadaocheng)
Website: www.tttifa.com
Date: Oct 1 – Oct 30
Fun Guandu
Based in the Guandu neighborhood, Fun Guandu (鬧熱關渡節) is organized with an aim of enforcing community consciousness and promoting local culture as well as art education. This year, the true local culture will be on full display. On the day of activity, a parade will be held on Zhixing Road (知行路) in Beitou. In the plaza of Guandu Riverbank Park (關渡水岸公園), there will be a market fair all day long so that visitors can fully enjoy the beauty of Guandu.
Website: https://www.facebook.com/guandu.tw/
Date: Oct 26
2019 Taiwan LGBT Pride Parade
As Taiwan recently became the first Asian country to legalize same-sex marriage in 2019, the LGBT parade this year will be an unprecedented celebration. On October 26 the parade will take place with its main theme, “Together, Make Taiwan Better,” along with a fair comprised of over a hundred booths in the Taipei City Hall Square, the starting point of the parade. The route will meander through various Taipei attractions, and the parade will end at the rainbow stage on Ketagalan Boulevard (凱達格蘭大道) to celebrate the very first year of same-sex marriage in Taiwan.
Website: www.taiwanpride.lgbt
Date: Oct 26
2019 Taipei Hot Spring Festival
This year, Taipei Hot Spring Festival (台北溫泉季) will be held at MRT Xinbeitou station (新北投捷運站), Qixing Park (七星公園), and Beitou Park (北投公園). On the eve of October 31, a singing contest will kick off the opening ceremony. On the following day, an open-air cinema will be held for the public to enjoy. Major events of the festival, including the clash between the mikoshi, or scared palanquin, and the performance of the Ming Hua Yuan Arts & Cultural Group (明華園) will take place on November 2. Furthermore, a series of activities such as the yukata festival, live music event and a charity market are all awaiting hot spring lovers who will come to experience the exciting Taipei hot spring culture.
Website: https://www.facebook.com/taipeihotsprings
Date: Oct 31 – Nov 4
2019 Shilin Residence Chrysanthemum Show
With “Happiness in Chrysanthemum” as its main theme, the Shilin Residence Chrysanthemum Show (士林官邸菊展) will present a graceful visual and auditory feast with a mixture of Da-Li chrysanthemums (大立菊), designer chrysanthemums, and various other kinds of chrysanthemum flowers. The opening ceremony on November 22 will be led by an acapella musical performance. During the exhibition period, a series of discounts will be offered by shops around the residence in Shilin. In addition, there will be shows featuring classical music and indigenous folk songs, welcoming visitors to enjoy the melodious sounds while flower viewing during Taipei’s amazing autumn season. (Read also: Flower Viewing in Taipei: Three Routes Recommended for Couples, Friends, and Families)
Website: https://www.facebook.com/2016chshow/
Date: Nov 22 – Dec 8
This article is reproduced under the permission of TAIPEI. Original content can be found at the website of Taipei Travel Net (www.travel.taipei/en).
