TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The annual hot air balloon festival in Taitung will lift off on June 30 at Luye Highlands, featuring the goddess Mazu in the longest-ever edition of the event.

Spanning 60 days until Aug. 28, the Taiwan International Balloon Festival 2023 promises a dazzling array of balloons throughout the summer break, said Taitung County Government.

Magistrate April Yao (饒慶鈴) on Thursday (March 23) headed for Spain to check on the making of a Mazu-styled hot air balloon. It will be a highlight of the event celebrating the much-revered local deity, wrote CNA.

The event will open with a light show at night before a variety of balloons are released the next morning, according to organizers. Adding excitement to the festival is a drone spectacle, which wowed visitors last year.

The balloon festival is a tourist magnet in Taiwan, having drawn a record 1.23 million visitors in 2022 with 30 hot air balloons. It also won the Platinum award at the 2022 MUSE Design Awards.

Visit the event’s website and Facebook page for more information. Photos from past events can be accessed here.

Hot air balloons at the Taiwan International Balloon Festival. (Event website photos)