Thousands of people watched with excitement two spectacular processions parading towards Guandu Nature Park – one down the road and the other from the sea – to kick off a full day of celebrations for the annual Fun Guandu Festival on October 29. 

 

Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je was among the paddlers in a fleet of 100 canoes in the sea parade that embarked at 8:30 a.m. from Shuangxi Wharf, down Keelung River, and then up Tamsui River before arriving at the Guandu Fishing Port. 

 

The mayor joined the sea parade at about 10 a.m. on a canoe specifically handpainted for him by famous artist TNUA Vice President Chiu Nicolas.

 

The land procession featured paraders donning costumes of their own designs, including duck-shape outfits that had been shown to the public at a press conference held on October 24 to promote the upcoming festival.

 

Ko said he hopes the scale of the annual festival will get bigger and bigger, allowing art to not only create a bond in the community, but also showcase the culture of the Guandu area.

 

TNUA President Prof. Chen Kai-Huang noted that the 2017 edition of the festival was indeed bigger than last year’s.  He pointed out it was not only a day of fun and festivities, but also a promotion of the concept of sustainable life and culture incorporating  the areas along Tamsui River to raise the public’ environmental awareness.

 

He said he hopes the festival can motivate people to work together for a better community and it can become the biggest festival of Taiwan.

 

Apart from Mr. Ko and Prof. Chen, the October 24 press conference also saw the presence of Taipei Department of Information and Tourism Commissioner Chien Yu-yen, Guandu Temple Chairman Chen Yu-kun and Asustek Computer Chief Sustainability Officer Sandy Wei.

 

 

Caption: TNUA President Prof. Chen Kai-Huang (third from right), Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je (fourth from right), Guandu Temple Chairman Chen Yu-kun (second from right), Legislator Wu Szu-yao (sixth from right) and others take part in a parade of Fun Guandu.