TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Penghu County Government said Thursday that this year’s Penghu International Fireworks Festival will feature drone performances.

The festival started Monday and will run through July 29, taking place at the county’s Guanyin Temple Recreation Area and on outlying islands, with more than 20 fireworks shows scheduled. According to the county government, 10 drone performances will also be held from May 19 to June 19, per CNA.

The government said this year’s event is expected to attract over 14,000 visitors and will also include musical performances and a lottery.

The county government had previously collaborated with a drone performance company to showcase a Snoopy-themed show. However, during Monday's show, some drones experienced signal interference, causing them to be unable to accurately position themselves — which resulted in blurry patterns and light points.

The government initially said the company was unable to resolve the signal interference issue. Due to concerns over the quality of the performance, the agency canceled the remaining drone shows on Wednesday, but decided on Thursday to resume performances after May 19.

Magistrate Chen Kuang-fu (陳光復) said the drone performances scheduled before May 19 will be replaced with fireworks shows. He noted that the county government will increase the amount and duration of the firework displays.

Chen said the Snoopy-themed market and photo spots will continue as planned. The county government added that it will offer discounts on tourism related to festivals, ecology, culture, and sports at the event venue.

Some tourism operators in Penghu expressed concern the cancellation of the drone shows may negatively impact local tourism. They questioned the county government's decision not to include a guarantee requirement in the contract with the vendor. 

In response, Chen explained that local governments are not obligated to require such financial assurances in contracts, as this aligns with central government regulations.