TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – Despite a stretch of chilly weather in Taipei, spring is just around the corner, and there are plenty of activities to check out this weekend and next. Check out some of the exciting events happening around town, March 8-17.
The Grand Holi Taipei 2019 celebration is happening on Saturday, March 9 at Green River Park in New Taipei’s Yonghe District. Get ready for fun with Bollywood DJs, water colors and water guns, dance performances, and Indian food stalls. Tickets for the events are available at a number of Indian restaurants around Taipei. Check the Facebook event page for more details.
The Taipei Biennial 2018, which began in mid-November, will only run until March 10. Hosted by the Taipei Fine Arts Museum and the Goethe Institut Taipei, this year’s theme is “Post Nature: the Museum as an Ecosystem.”
Another Latin Fiesta, organized by Latinos Taiwan & MAJI, is taking place at MAJI Square located near Yuanshan MRT Station next Saturday, March 9. For a family friendly time with excellent Caribbean food and music, come check out the MAJI Fiesta, March 9 from 1:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Saturday, March 9 will also be the annual WoMen March and WoMen Fest, an annual event celebrating Women’s Da, sponsored by the Canadian Trade Office in Taipei. There will be a parade from Hua Shan Central Park, to Liberty Square, and then on to the Hsin-Yi Family Square Theatre, where there will be a party with live musical performances.
Another cool market event happening soon is the Urban Apothecary vintage and antique market, which will take place on March 9, at Ted Dessert afe near Guting MRT Station. Come check out an array of unique goods from earlier times.
Fans of Hip-hop and break dance, be sure not to miss the 2019 KOD TAIPEI x HHI Worlds Battles Taiwan, taking place on Sunday, March 10 near Taipei's Shuanglian MRT Station on the red line. Check the Facebook Event page for more info.
Jazz and Swing fans in Taipei, don’t miss the chance to catch the Taipei Jazz Orchestra in concert for their Tenth Anniversary Swing concert, happening Monday, March 11 at the National Concert Hall at 7:30 p.m.. Tickets are available for purchase here.
From Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, March 15-17, there will be performances of the musical score for Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, by the Cine Concerts Series, with music composed by John Williams. There are a number of different seating options still available, which can be purchased here.
Next weekend on Saturday, March 16 there will be another Holi festival in Taipei, this one hosted by Mayur Indian Kitchen,“Indian Holi Taipei.” Come to the Huashan 1914 Creative Park to celebrate the “Festival of Colors” and enjoy the day with delicious Indian cuisine, music and dance performances. The event costs NT$350 to enter.
Also on Saturday, March 16, as part of the Taiwan International Festival of the Arts, the “Les Petites Choses Production” theater and dance group is hosting an interactive show and competition called “Own Your Style” at the National Theater. For those interested in creative and interactive art performance, get your ticket through the event page.
On Saturday, March 16, a market for 1980s kids will be held in Taipei’s Zhongshan District. The 1982Kids (1982小時候) group is organizing a variety of vendors specializing in vintage toys, games and other children’s memorabilia from the 1980s. Check out the “8000 Monster Market” to enjoy some late 20th century nostalgia and pick up some old school gear.
For those interested in street dance and hip hop culture, check out the dance battle being hosted by Boog Nation on Saturday March 16. There will be choreographed performances, as well as one on one battles. The public is welcome to audition for the competition.
Starting Saturday, March 16, the famous British street artist, Banksy, will have works on display in Taipei. The exhibition “Banksy: An Authentic Rebel” is being hosted by Philips Taiwan, and will display 25 of the artists iconic works. The event is being held at the Bellavita gallery in Xinyi Districy, until March 24.
Japanese digital artist ANDAERφ is holding an art exhibit in Taipei, that will run through March 24 at the d/art gallery. ANDAERφ is known for fantastic landscapes and character drawings, which have been featured in a number of popular anime and videogames.
Regular Hangouts
Every Tuesday night in 2019 at Triangle, near Yuanshan MRT station, there will be a Karaoke night for those who enjoy the western style bar karaoke over the Taiwanese KTV style.
Every Wednesday the Republic of Comedy Taiwan Standup group will plan to host an open-mic comedy night at My Yacht Taproom near Songshan Culture and Creative Park. Come out for a few laughs, and maybe try out a few jokes of your own.
If you want to put your English to use and enjoy an open forum to discuss different topics and hear presentations in English, check out the iEnglish Club English Gathering every Saturday.
If you're looking for a family friendly group to practice your English or your Chinese, consider checking out events with Language Exchange Taipei. They are having a free language exchange on Sunday afternoon at Lifehouse Taipei.
The LEIT Language Exchange group regularly hosts a huge number of activities. Check their events page for friendly hangouts and language exchange opportunities.
For the beginning of 2019, Taiwan's Bobwundaye bar on Heping Rd. in the Da'an District will be hosting Wednesday Open Mic Nights for anyone who wants to share a little bit of their musical or artistic talent with an audience. The floor is opened for performances beginning at 10:00 p.m.
Two Three Comedy continues to host stand-up comedy open mic nights every Monday at bar 23 Public. The show begins at 9 p.m. but those wishing to sign up should be sure to arrive early.
Everyone’s favorite Irish bar in Gongguan near NTU, James Joyce, is also hosting live music every weekend.
If you have a love of Indian food and culture, then you can always stop by the Mayur Indian Kitchen location on Songjiang Road, where they have regular dance performances or Indian music for dining customers on Saturday nights.
For those new to Taipei, or those who have been here a while but still haven't seen all the city has to offer, consider taking a walking tour with "Like it Formosa." Tours happen regularly every week, with four different types of tours to choose from, depending on what you want to see.
And depending on your interests, check this list of meet up groups regularly to see if there is anything up your alley.
