Taipei’s annual Eid al-Fitr celebrations yesterday returned to Daan Forest Park after a two-year hiatus, with about 10,000 attendees enjoying an array of attractions, including a halal bazaar, outdoor cinema and interactive cultural exchange booths.
Festivalgoers were required to wear masks and observe social distancing amid rising COVID-19 cases nationwide.
They were also required to show proof that they had received at least two doses of an approved COVID-19 vaccine to enter venues such as the main stage, outdoor cinema and cultural experience area, organizers said, adding that attendees were also not allowed to eat or drink at the festival.
Photo: Peter Lo, Taipei Times
Indonesian festivalgoers Adi Putri, Dew and Tini said that despite high COVID-19 case numbers, their employers had still encouraged them to attend, asking only that they wear a mask and stay vigilant in avoiding close physical contact.
Ani, who is also Indonesian and said she has lived in Taiwan for eight years, said that although she had come with friends from her home country, they decided to stay out of the festival’s main venues as there was “too much hustle and bustle.”
However, she said some of her friends, many of whom work as caregivers for older people, were unable to attend because their employers had asked them not to go to events with large crowds amid the current outbreak.
Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) said in his speech at the opening of the festival that after a two-year pandemic-imposed hiatus, the city had resolved to celebrate Eid al-Fitr in Taipei this year despite the challenges.
Eid al-Fitr, also known as the Festival of Breaking the Fast, marks the end of the month-long dawn-to-dusk fasting of Ramadan.
Aftershocks from a magnitude 6.2 earthquake that struck off Yilan County at 3:45pm yesterday could reach a magnitude of 5 to 5.5, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Seismological Center technical officer Chiu Chun-ta (邱俊達) told a news conference that the epicenter of the temblor was more than 100km from Taiwan. Although predicted to measure between magnitude 5 and 5.5, the aftershocks would reach an intensity of 1 on Taiwan’s 7-tier scale, which gauges the actual effect of an earthquake, he said. The earthquake lasted longer in Taipei because the city is in a basin, he said. The quake’s epicenter was about 128.9km east-southeast
The Taipei Summer Festival is to begin tomorrow at Dadaocheng Wharf (大稻埕), featuring four themed firework shows and five live music performances throughout the month, the Taipei Department of Information and Tourism said today. The festival in the city’s Datong District (大同) is to run until Aug. 30, holding firework displays on Wednesdays and the final Saturday of the event. The first show is scheduled for tomorrow, followed by Aug. 13, 20 and 30. To celebrate the 30th anniversary of Disney Pixar's movie Toy Story, the festival has partnered with Walt Disney Co (Taiwan) to host a special themed area on
BE CAREFUL: The virus rarely causes severe illness or death, but newborns, older people and those with medical conditions are at risk of more severe illness As more than 7,000 cases of chikungunya fever have been reported in China’s Guangdong Province this year, including 2,892 new cases last week, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) yesterday said it is monitoring the situation and considering raising the travel notice level, which might be announced today. The CDC issued a level 1 travel notice, or “watch,” for Guangdong Province on July 22, citing an outbreak in Foshan, a manufacturing hub in the south of the province, that was reported early last month. Between July 27 and Saturday, the province reported 2,892 new cases of chikungunya, reaching a total of 7,716
The New Taipei City Government today warned about the often-overlooked dangers of playing in water, and recommended safe swimming destinations to cool off from the summer heat. The following locations in the city as safe and fun for those looking to enjoy the water: Chienshuiwan (淺水灣), Baishawan (白沙灣), Jhongjiao Bay (中角灣), Fulong Beach Resort (福隆海水浴場) and Sansia District’s (三峽) Dabao River (大豹溪), New Taipei City Tourism and Travel Department Director-General Yang Tsung-min (楊宗珉) said. Outdoor bodies of water have variables outside of human control, such as changing currents, differing elevations and environmental hazards, all of which can lead to accidents, Yang said. Sudden