The curtain went up on the 2016 Hsinchu County International Folk Drum Art Festival at Xinwawu (New Tile House Hakka Cultural District) in Zhubei on October 29. A parade of over 400 people in 35 troupes from three different countries was led by County Magistrate Chiu Ching-chun. The parade was greeted by the cheers and clapping of people lining on the streets, some even asked the parade participants to halt for a second for photographs taken.
The people lining on the streets were exciting about performances from foreign troupes including Aomori Nebuta Matsuri (日本青森縣ねぶた囃子團) from Aomori Prefectural Government, Kochi Yosakoi(よさこい) Dance Troupe, Africa’s the MANJAGO GROUP perform “exotic atmosphere, Dance of Africa”, Russia’s KMRG circus perform “Magic Park”, and others.
The International Folk Drum Festival’s evening party show “Musicals Gala” was held at the Xinwawu Hecheng Square on the evening of October 30. Deputy Director of the county government Cultural Affairs Bureau Zhu Shu-min thanked everyone for their participation and the event was ended with the powerful Drum performance. This was followed by the Hsinchu Culture Festival which opened on the meadow at Xinwawu in Zhubei on the morning of October 30. On opening day, the cool weather attracted many families with small children. They were playing on the grass field, listening to music while enjoying some quality family time. The events are relate to activities that held in cultural museums around Hsinchu county , including tea leaf exhibition, cultural lectures, concerts, family eco-camp, blue dyeing, photography tuition, on-foot tours, which engage people to attend Hsinchu County’s cultural museums and arts spaces. The events will continue until November 27. Everyone is welcome to attend.