With unseasonably warm weather for most of the week, Christmas feels slightly less jolly this year. So what to do to get in the spirit? Grab a Santa, elf, or reindeer costume and join a bunch of ruffians who will be celebrating Christmas tonight with SantaCon Taipei.
SantaCon is a big group of fairly inebriated people who will be roaming around Taipei singing Christmas carols and partaking in a lot of unscripted merrymaking, all the while dressed in their Santa suits. The goal is to surprise people with holiday cheer and partake in a bit of tomfoolery. Participants are urged to bring small items to hand out to unsuspecting people on the streets.
The revelry begins tonight at 9pm at The Station, 50, Zhongxiao W Road Sec 1, Taipei City (台北市忠孝西路一段50號). There are no rules or directions to where the party will go afterwards, so just look for all the Santas and the people taking pictures of them.
ROCK THE HOUSE
Tomorrow night, three big-name French DJs hit Taipei for a huge lineup for house music lovers. Paris Groove 2015 in Taipei features DJ Falcon, a member of the Daft Punk crew, as well as house producer extraordinaire Para One and up-and-comer Dabeull.
Ultra Dance Society and 18 Group present Paris Groove 2015 in Taipei with DJ Falcon, Para One, Dabeull, and Diskokids tomorrow night from 9pm to 4am at Neo Studio, 5F, 22 Songshou Rd, Taipei City (台北市松壽路22號5樓). Tickets are NT$1,500 at the door.
FOUR YEARS OF Hip-Hop in the Park
On Sunday, Hip-Hop in the Park celebrates its fourth anniversary in Kaohsiung. Since its inception, DJs, MCs, graffiti writers, and b-boys have been flocking to the park once a month to hang out and get down to the best in soul, funk, and hip-hop music. Organizer D-Raze the Soul Junkie (real name Drazen Dzambo) says that Hip-Hop in the Park is more than just another excuse to party. “It connects people, it’s healthy and motivates each person to develop, learn and reach their full creative potential,” D-Raze said. “It has been an event where you see hip-hop coming to life.”
The event is held at Central Park, 6, Chunghua 3rd Rd, Kaohsiung City (高雄市中華三路6號).
A BURNING NYE
Every year, the Xinyi area is transformed into a monstrosity on New Year’s Eve. Traffic is blocked off, every restaurant, bar and club has lines out the yin-yang, and people who are expecting to be wowed by the Taipei 101 firework show are inevitably disappointed with something that looks pretty close to last year’s display.
A group of people who travel together to the Burning Man party in the US every August call themselves A Burner Creation. They are putting on something a bit different this Dec. 31 called NYE Concrete Jungle III: Riverside Edition. The party is free, full of free-spirits, and has an element of danger because it’s a makeshift party in the middle of a park in the middle of the city.
Under a bridge fairly close to the Raohe night market, a sound system will be set up, fire dancers will be showing off their moves, and artists will be making art. The party will also have tarot card readings, hula-hooping workshops, and massage exchanges. Sometimes the best parties in the world don’t happen inside of crowded clubs.
Concrete Jungle III: Riverside Edition is Dec. 31 from 5pm to 7am at Riverside Park (left of the Rainbow Bridge behind Raohe night market). The event is free.
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