Many residents of Taiwan have long dreamt of going to the Flower Festival in Brussels but have never had the opportunity of doing so. Now these residents, and many others, could be in for a bit of luck, as a similar exhibition is being held in Taichung, a city located in central Taiwan.
The 2010 Taichung International Flower Carpet Festival, which runs from Aug. 21 to Aug. 29, is modeled in part on the world-famous one in Brussels. But it has incorporated a distinctive Taiwanese flavor into the displays.
The centerpiece of the nine-day exhibit is a “flower carpet,” 100 meters in length and 60 in width, containing 50 types of colorful flowers and herbs grown in the central regions of Taiwan.
It all began around four years ago, when the Taichung City government received suggestions that the city’s spacious Citizen Square, where residents frequent on their weekends, could be beautified if it were filled with flowers.
These suggestions led the city to propose hosting the flower carpet festival, according to Taichung Mayor Jason Hu.
The Taichung festival should not be seen as attempting to rival the Taipei Flora Expo that will kick off Nov. 6 of this year, Hu added, though he conceded that the two are similar in intent: “Both events have similar goals—an emphasis on energy savings and carbon emission reductions.”
The festival is part of the city’s two-year greening project, whose ultimate goal is to build a long stretch of greenery in the midst of the city, said Tsao Mei-liang, a local government official.
Designed by Wu Yong-jian, best known as the creator of the Haibao mascot for the Shanghai 2010 World Expo, the flower carpet consists of nearly 300,000 pots of flowers arranged to create the appearance of ripples. Five circles in the center of the piece are meant to symbolize spreading circles of happiness—hence the arrangement is called “Ripples of Joy.”
“A city’s level of civilization does not lie in the glamorous appearances of its buildings, but in how happy its residents feel,” Wu said, as he explained the concept behind his design.
The city government also invited the famed artist Timmy Yip, Academy Award winner for his artwork in the 2001 blockbuster “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,” to serve as artistic consultant on the project.
In addition to its enormous flower carpet, the festival contains many fun-filled activities. These include “The Happy Castle Observatory,” a two-meter-high structure that visitors can climb onto to get a panoramic view of the entire carpet; “The Magic Kaleidoscope,” through which onlookers can view the spectacular flower-and-herb arrangement from different angles; and the eye-catching “Music Water Dance,” performed every 30 minutes.
“The design of the flower carpet is beautiful, and I guess it will look even prettier when all the flowers are in full bloom,” said a woman who has lived in the city for more than a decade.
To provide more activities to choose from, organizers have also incorporated daily concerts, an innovative art handicraft market and display booths where produce from central Taiwan can be purchased at a discount price. Along Jing Guo Avenue, visitors can listen to different genres of music—folk, jazz, blues, rock-and-roll, and more.
“I am delighted to see that the government is hosting these events, because now we will have something extra to do at night,” a passerby said.
The festival kicked off with a stunning fireworks show followed by a spellbinding performance by world-renowned pianist Matthew Lien. “I have certainly never given a performance while surrounded by a sea of flowers,” Lien said before the performance, clearly excited by the prospect.
“I found Lien’s music really enjoyable,” said a Taichung City resident. “I hope more cultural and arts events can be organized here in the future. It would also be wonderful if the flower carpet festival can be continued.”
Another highlight will come on the last day of the festival, when Lala Hsu, a talented local singer who received the Best Newcomer prize at the 21st Golden Melody Awards in June, gives a performance during the closing ceremony.
The city government has encouraged local schools, community groups as well as private organizations to take the flowers in the carpet garden away with them after the festival comes to an end. If these flowers can be displayed prominently in open spaces, they will help make the environment greener, Tsao added.
As Taichung City is located in central Taiwan, an area known for its flower, tea and cultural innovative industries, the city government has decided it will continue holding the flower carpet festival, making it one of the city’s annual events, Tsao explained.
“Instead of showcasing a work by an invited veteran designer, we will leave it to the public to come up with an innovative flower carpet pattern next year,” she said.
After all, the festival is not merely about plants and green spaces. Design is also one of the event’s core concepts, Tsao concluded. (HZW)
Write to Elaine Hou at elainehou@mail.gio.gov.tw