When Cloud Gate Dance Theatre performs amid the golden rice fields at the Chishang Autumn Harvest Festival, even the birds flying across the sky become part of the show. This is the charm of Taitung’s unique Wall-less Dome. In 2025, U-Theatre and Sangpuy joined forces to deliver a breathtaking performance among the waves of the rice paddies. Despite wind and rain on the October 24 community night, Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim joined 2,500 residents to witness the moving beauty of dancing with nature.
(Photo credit: Lovely Taiwan)
(Photo credit: @cegawlin)
When the Moon Rises from the Sea
The Moonlit Sea Concert on the East Coast begins on full-moon nights. As the moon slowly ascends from the Pacific Ocean, the stage faces the sea, blending melodies with the sound of waves. In 2025, eight shows attracted nearly 30,000 participants. The Taiwan International Balloon Festival at Luye Highland is a true visual revolution—13 hot air balloons paired with drone light shows and fireworks create a stunning four-dimensional performance of air, land, sound, and light. A single event can drive accommodation rates up to 95%, generating over NT$100 million in spending.
(Photo credit: @david_huang_taitung)
Every Season Is Festival Season
In May, the Taitung East Wave Festival kicks off the summer. Even under heavy rain, 14 groups of singers, including Tanya Chua, performed passionately with tens of thousands of fans. From July to August, the Taiwan International Balloon Festival attracted 680,000 visitors over 45 days, with 40,000 gathering for the closing evening’s Night Glow Concert. In autumn, the Taiwan PASIWALI Festival showcased the grand Warrior Dance performed by over 100 indigenous artists. Each winter, the New Year’s Eve concert at Taitung Seashore Park draws more than 50,000 people to enjoy a spectacular 240-second fireworks display.
(Photo credit: @whs_711326)
(Photo credit: @onmyway_dulan)
(Photo credit: @whs_711326)
Music that Moves the Economy
With nature as its stage, Taitung creates immersive experiences that transform music into an engine for local industry. Each year, large-scale outdoor concerts attract more than 546,000 attendees, generating NT$4.36 billion in tourism revenue. Visitors spend on average 40% more than regular tourists, and hotel occupancy rates increase by 23%. Through cultural markets featuring Chishang Bento Lunchboxes, Dulan Beer, and indigenous brewing experiences, art consumption naturally becomes part of the local economy. Between 2021 and 2024, Taitung’s Wall-less Concerts attracted over one million visitors and generated NT$2.55 billion, solidifying their place as a symbol of Taitung’s cultural brand.
A Sustainable Model Recognized
At the 2025 CommonWealth Magazine City Governance Awards, Taitung’s “Nature × Music: Wall-less Dome Economy” received the Excellence Award in the Economic Growth category. Judges commended Taitung for turning limited indoor facilities into a unique marketing advantage—deepening local innovation while realizing sustainable tourism and community prosperity. From waste reduction and green transportation to community co-creation, Taitung exemplifies the three pillars of sustainability—environmental, social, and economic—embodying the principles of the SDGs.
(Photo credit: @pingpingliou)
(Photo credit: Lovely Taiwan)
Taitung Doesn’t Need a Giant Stadium
While other cities compete to build massive arenas, Taitung chooses to let its mountains and ocean serve as its stage. From the starlit Night Sky Concerts under light-pollution-free skies to the High on Taitung open-air concerts, the city proves that nature and culture—not concrete—form the core of sustainable tourism. These performances are more than concerts; they are artistic conversations with the land, transforming Taitung from “Taiwan’s Mountain Back (Houshan)” into a world-class model of sustainable tourism—where every performance becomes a tribute to nature.
