TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Taiwan Music Festival, a rite of passage for youth and college students, attracted more than one million people for the third consecutive year over the weekend.
On the festival’s final day, Saturday, performances featured popular rock acts including Cosmos People (宇宙人), Fire EX. (滅火器), and Amazing Show (美秀集團). Warm, sunny weather and a strong lineup of artists drew large crowds throughout the four-day weekend, per CNA.
Pingtung County Government’s Communication and International Affairs Department said this year marked the festival’s fifth edition. Many emerging bands that started on smaller stages have since advanced to mid-sized and even main stages, highlighting the event’s role in nurturing local talent.
Another key feature of the festival is the opportunity it gives young people to meet and fall in love. One newlywed couple who met at the event last year returned to the same spot to take wedding photos, drawing cheers from the crowd as they shared their joy.
The couple’s photos quickly spread on social media, drawing comments from netizens and even a message from Pingtung County Magistrate Chou Chun-mi (周春米), who wrote, “So touching! Congratulations.”
According to data from local telecom companies, the Taiwan Music Festival drew 300,000 visitors on Thursday and 410,000 on Friday. County officials attributed the high turnout to positive word-of-mouth, favorable weather, and the long Tomb Sweeping Day holiday.
Pingtung County Government official Yin Feng-lan (鄞鳳蘭) said the festival gave a major boost to the local economy. Hotels and homestays in the Kenting area were fully booked, while Kenting Street—a main road dotted with nightlife—was packed with people throughout the holiday.
For those who missed the main event, a follow-up Spring Music Festival will be held at Pingtung County Stadium from April 11–13, featuring 16 artists including Faith Yang (楊乃文), Henry Hsu (許富凱), Mango Jump, and Fleshjuicer.
