Taiwan began to celebrate the Lantern Festival Friday, with cities and counties illuminated with lights and fireworks in a series of shows that will run through mid-March.
The 2015 Taipei Lantern Festival kicked off at the Flora Expo Park, featuring a golden goat-shaped lantern to celebrate the Year of the Goat. Visitors get to see not only the 12.5-meter-tall main display, but also music and light shows staged every 30 minutes from 7pm through 11pm during the festival, with ends on Mar. 8.
The annual Taiwan Lantern Festival also began Friday in the central city of Taichung in three different venues. All three locations showcase lanterns made for the Year of the Goat. The main display is 23.4 meters tall, and is scheduled to be launched on Mar. 5.
In southern Taiwan, people in Yunlin, Tainan, and Kaohsiung are treated to the sights and sounds of their own respective lantern festivals.
The Lantern Festival is celebrated on the 15th day of the first lunar month and marks the end of the Lunar New Year period.