Pinghsi Sky Lantern festival

Lantern festival is held every year on the 15th day of the first moon-this year on February 4. It is celebrated in different ways, but in Pingshi, a small village north of Taipei they celebrate by sending up sky lanterns. We went with a group from our church. The sights were so beautiful. Most of Taiwan celebrates with fancy painted and decorated lanterns that sit on the ground or are hung from buildings. Pingshi is the only place you will find sky lanterns. There are shops all along the street where you can buy a large paper lantern, then you write messages on it. We wrote prayers and Harrison even added some decoration. Then they put a small stack of papers soaked in kerosene or some other fuel in the bottom of the lantern and light it. You have to hold the lantern up while it fills with gas before releasing it into the night sky.
This was definitely a worth while trip and will be stored away in our "favorite memories of Taiwan" collection.
This is a few seconds after a group let it go.
Harrison drawing on our lantern.
Holding it up waiting for lift off.
A beautiful, fun-filled night together.
shops along the main street with lanterns hanging out front to display the kind that they sell.