TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — This year’s Baishatun Mazu Pilgrimage, one of Taiwan’s major religious events, is expected to attract a record 450,000 participants, nearly 120,000 more than last year.

The eight-day Mazu pilgrimage on foot will begin late Sunday night from Gongtian Temple in Miaoli, traveling to and from Beigang Chaotian Temple in Yunlin, per CNA. According to Gongtian Temple, the route is not fixed and will be guided by the Mazu statue, carried on a palanquin popularly called the “Pink Supercar.”

At a press conference on Tuesday, temple chair Hung Wen-hua (洪文華) said President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) and several county and city leaders will visit the temple on Sunday. He noted that in past years, residents along the route have offered food to pilgrims and thanked the public for their participation.

Miaoli Magistrate Chung Tung-chin (鍾東錦) said the temple has boosted tourism and drawn crowds to the county. He noted the pilgrimage has a history of more than 200 years and thanked businesses for donating supplies to pilgrims. The county government will work with temple staff to reduce the impact of the pilgrimage on local traffic.

Shuttle buses from Miaoli High Speed Rail Station and Chiayi Railway Station will provide direct service to the two temples during this year’s pilgrimage. Taiwan Railways will also run extra trains to Baishatun Station. The temple said a mobile app will allow pilgrims to track the Mazu palanquin’s location.

Chaotian Temple said pilgrims are expected to arrive on April 16. To ease traffic and manage large crowds, two nearby schools will suspend classes that day and hold make-up lessons on Saturday.

The number of registered participants for the event rose from around 54,600 in 2022 to nearly 330,000 last year. Registration for last year’s event saw 110,000 people sign up within two days. To attract more participants, the temple has partnered with Mizuno and Starlux Airlines to launch co-branded merchandise, which was given to registered participants last year.