To celebrate Taiwan’s traditional week, the first “Taiwan Culture Festival – Taiwan Festival Houston” organized by the Taiwan Traditional Foundation kicked off on Saturday, May 18th, at 10 a.m. in the vibrant Taiwan Center in Houston.
Board member Xu Qiurong expressed that on this extraordinary day of Taiwan’s traditional week in May, it was a meaningful moment to share Taiwan’s unique and diverse cultural charm with friends from various ethnicities. With the collective brainstorming and planning efforts of the foundation’s team and all members, the inaugural “Taiwan Culture Festival” was successfully executed. The event mainly focused on family-friendly activities, allowing everyone to experience the essence of Taiwan’s culture through hands-on fun.
The event was widely promoted by friends in various ethnic communities on social media platforms, attracting a crowd early in the morning. With the support of the well-known traditional event “Taiwan YES” in Houston, the festival drew the participation of many young people from diverse backgrounds. The organizers arranged for food, art, and cultural activities, featuring over ten fun-filled activities. Upon obtaining entry tickets at the entrance, attendees followed the arrow signs, embarking on a fascinating and joyful journey through Taiwan’s culture.
The air was filled with the sweet fragrance of Taiwanese brown sugar, emanating from freshly brewed bubble tea. Attendees got a chance to DIY their own bubble tea, each holding a cup in hand. Thanks to Taiwan’s unique geographical environment, various flavors of Taiwan’s special teas with deep cultural significance were born. Exploring the unique Taiwanese tea culture, participants savored the taste of tea; children had great fun making traditional inflated sugar candies. There was even a game involving sausage marble tracks, where players could win freshly grilled sausages by rolling dice with the vendor, a cherished memory for many Taiwanese.
A spectacular calligraphy demonstration by calligrapher Li Chunsheng captivated the audience; puppet shows attracted children to watch eagerly, as backstage crew members adeptly manipulated the puppets and props, earning applause from the crowd. Inside the exhibition room, the history and traditional artifacts of Taiwanese culture were on display, with guide Tsai Zonglin introducing the historical stories of Taiwan to non-Chinese friends.
A charity sale was also held, featuring selected puppet dolls, Hakka floral bags, sachets, sky lantern decorations, and other unique memorabilia. Participants could try their hand at making wishing sky lanterns, radish lanterns, and handcrafted mochi; in addition to Taiwan’s characteristic cuisine, beverages, and shaved ice, families enjoyed delicacies such as rice dumplings, mugwort cakes, oil rice, sticky rice sausages, meatballs, and stir-fried rice noodles together, creating a pleasant and memorable experience.