Music festivals draw crowds to Hualien and Taitung

Major music and cultural festivals are drawing crowds to eastern Taiwan, with significant events held in Hualien and Taitung.

Hualien City hosted the first night of the ‘2026 Mountain and Sea Echoes, Hualien Soundwaves’ at Zhongshan Park. The event featured a ‘Starlight Market’ with 66 stalls and collaborative cultural products from the National Palace Museum. The opening night included performances by artists such as Su Hui-lun and Chui Hui, attracting nearly 10,000 visitors. Mayor Wei Chia-yen stated the goal is to boost local consumption in dining and accommodation through large-scale musical events.

In Taitung, the ‘Most Beautiful Starry Sky in Taitung’ series held concerts at Baxian Cave and Taitung Forest Park. These events integrated music with natural landscapes, featuring local and indie bands like Echo Band and Forced Vocals. The Taitung County Government has planned nearly 50 such industry-collaboration experiences to promote tourism through unplugged music under dark-sky environments. Upcoming performances are scheduled for Sanxiantai and Guanshan.