Some visitors came from as far as Europe and Latin America to witness in person the iconic images of paper lanterns filling the night sky.

TAIPEI -- As night falls on the 15th day of the first month of the Chinese lunar calendar, Taiwan transforms into a dazzling spectacle of light. Despite a gentle spring rain sweeping across the island, the festive spirit remains strong.

With the upcoming Lantern Festival, which falls on Wednesday in 2025, cities across China are pulling out all the stops to celebrate it with a variety of intangible cultural heritage (ICH) festivities,

An American student paints Peking Opera facial makeup during a Chinese Lantern Festival celebration at the Chinese Consulate General in Los Angeles, California, the United States, on Feb. 12, 2025. Calligraphy,

Watch Taiwan’s lantern festival in Pingxi Watch live as visitors in Pingxi, the mountain village in northern Taiwan, pen their blessings and wishes on paper lanterns and release them into the night sky to seek good fortune in the Year of the Snake.

Taiwanese celebrated the Lantern Festival on Wednesday with striking red lanterns, known as "huadeng," marking the end of two weeks of festivities for the Lunar New Year. (Camera: Ritchie Tongo.) Footage of Taiwanese celebrating the Lantern Festival in Taipei,