The Simple Life festival, which combines musical performances, agricultural products, lectures, forums and a creative craft market, has this year for the first time moved to Taichung, and the activities have been extended to five days, starting from Dec. 2. All the activities are completely free of charge.
The Simple Life festival was first held in 2006. This year it has stepped beyond the bounds of Taipei by moving to Taichung for the first time, and on Monday last week the city government and festival organizers held a press conference to explain this year’s program of activities. This year’s festival also breaks with the tradition of holding it at the weekend. For the first time, it is being extended by three days. From Dec. 2 to 4, a “stroll market of the Simple Life festival in Taichung” will be held across 15 performance and exhibition spaces around Taichung. Then, from Dec. 5 to 6, a “Simple Life festival Taichung strolling market” will be held in the park next to the city hall. There will be documentary film shows, forums with famous speakers and more. The organizers have invited 30 groups of artisans and masters and 40 groups of musicians to take part, and there will be a market with more than 70 stalls.
Neutron Innovation CEO Landy Chang, representing the organizers, said that the Simple Life festival hopes to provide a platform for everyone to see young people’s creativity and to showcase Taiwan’s splendid lifestyle. He said that this year’s move to Taichung came after observing the lifestyles of various cities in Taiwan and conducting field studies, visits and interviews in several cities. The organizers found the overall pace of life in Taichung to be slow and leisurely, while it incorporates a highly international outlook. Taichung also has geographical and cultural advantages and stable living standards and prices, which have made it attractive as a creative base for many young people.
Photo: Chang Ching-ya, Liberty Times
照片：自由時報記者張菁雅
Taichung Mayor Lin Chia-lung said that Taichung is a capital city for living and also a creative city, so holding the Simple Life festival in Taichung is a perfect match between city and activities. Notably, using the green area by the city hall as the main venue for the festival activities is a way of deconstructing this space. This grassy area should be for the public and put an emphasis on life, said Lin.
(Liberty Times, translated by Julian Clegg)
結合音樂表演、農學製品、講座論壇、創意市集的「簡單生活節」今年首度移師台中市舉行，並延長活動天數，十二月二日起一連舉辦五天，活動完全免費。
簡單生活節在二○○六年開辦，今年跨出台北市，首度移師台中市，市府與主辦單位上週一召開記者會說明今年活動內容。今年也打破過去在週末舉辦的傳統，首次往前延伸三天，十二月二日至四日在台中十五處展演空間舉辦「簡單生活節台中之漫步城遊」，十二月五日至六日在市政公園舉辦「簡單生活節台中之漫步市場」，將有紀錄片影展、名家論壇等，並邀請卅組職人達人和四十組音樂人參與、還有超過七十攤市集。
主辦單位代表中子集團執行長張培仁表示，簡單生活節希望提供平台讓大家看到青年的創意，並展現台灣美好的生活型態；今年移往台中，是在觀察台灣各城市的生活型態，並經過數個城市深入的田野調查與訪談後，發現台中整體的城市步調慢條斯理、從容不迫，融合高度國際觀，具備地理及文化優勢，生活水準物價穩定，成為許多年輕人嚮往的創意基地。
台中市長林佳龍指出，台中是生活首都、創意城市，簡單生活節在台中舉辦，是城市與活動的完美結合，尤其活動主要場地在市政廣場綠地，更是解構這個空間，這塊草地應是屬於人民的，更以生活為主。
（自由時報記者張菁雅）
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