The annual Taipei Summer Festival, which starts today, is to tone down its fireworks displays, the Taipei Department of Information and Tourism said on Monday.
Fireworks displays are to be held at the riverside site in Datong District’s (大同) Dadaocheng (大稻埕) area on four days at this year’s festival, with the first today, and then on Wednesday next week, July 31 and Aug. 10, the department said.
There were eight displays last year, with the reduction aimed at minimizing inconvenience to local residents, it said.
Photo courtesy of the Taipei City Department of Information and Tourism
The first three shows, which are all on Wednesdays, are to last for five minutes, while the final show, on a Saturday, is to last for eight minutes, it added.
The festival would “light up the unique Taipei night sky” with four different fireworks displays with the themes “Vibrant Taipei” for the first show, “Brilliant Dadaocheng” for the second, “Taipei Starry Night” for the third and “Love Song 140” on Aug. 10, the event’s official Web site says.
On event days, the festival is open to the public from 6pm to 9pm, with the firework displays scheduled to begin at 8pm, the event’s promotional material showed.
To facilitate the event and reduce the impact on local residents, vehicles, including motorcycles, would not be allowed to enter or exit the Dadaocheng Wharf area through Floodgate No. 3 from Civic Boulevard, Floodgate No. 4 near the end of Nanjing W Road and Floodgate No. 5 near the intersection of Huanhe N and Minsheng W roads from 7pm to 9:30pm on event days, the department said.
During those times, traffic restrictions would be in place on several roads near the wharf area, including Liangzhou Street, Yanping N Road, Tacheng Street and Xining N Road, it said.
People who live in the area would be allowed to enter provided they show identification when requested by authorities, it said.
To facilitate an emergency contingency zone around the festival site, people would not be allowed to park near floodgates No. 3 to No. 5 from 10am to midnight on the Wednesday event days, it added.
YouBike 2.0 rentals at Dadaocheng Wharf Station and bike rentals at Taipei Riverside Park Bike Rental Dadaocheng Station would be suspended from 6pm to 9:30pm on event days, it said.
Crowd control measures would be in place on sidewalks on Zhongxiao Bridge and Taipei Bridge, as well as the Dunhuang viewing platform and the overpass connecting Dihua Recreational Sports Park and the Diwai Road bike trail from 7:30pm to 9pm on event days, the department said.
Dadaocheng, which is accessable from MRT Beimen Station and MRT Daqiaotou Station, is a historic tourist attraction and shopping area.
In addition to the firework displays, this year’s festival also features music performances by local artists, river cruises and enchanting riverside light installations, the event’s Web site said.
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