Celebrating its 15th anniversary, the 2025 Taiwan International Balloon Festival opened grandly on July 5 at Luye Highland in Taitung. This year, the festival is collaborating for the first time with Doraemon, the wildly popular Japanese character and franchise. Colorful hot air balloons filled the East Rift Valley blue sky, attracting nearly 30,000 attendees on the opening day and setting a joyful tone for the summer.

Taitung County Magistrate April Yao stated that since the festival’s inception in 2011, it has become one of the most iconic summer events in Taiwan. For 15 years, hot air balloons have served as ambassadors of Taitung’s unique beauty to the world. The 2025 edition runs for 41 days, featuring 40 special-shape balloons and pilots from 17 countries gathering at Luye Highland. The brand-new Doraemon hot air balloon made its official debut on the first day, adding even more energy and excitement to the festivities. President Katsumata of Fujiko Pro, Doraemon’s original company, also traveled from Japan to personally attend the opening PIBALL ceremony, sharing in the breathtaking moment as the balloon ascended into the sky.

This year’s festival runs from July 5 to August 21 (closed every Tuesday). In addition to morning and evening balloon displays and tethered ride experiences each day, the event will host eight Night Glow Concerts. Five of these will take place at Luye Highland, the main venue, and will feature performances accompanied by drone and firework shows. The beloved characters Doraemon, Nobita, Shizuka, Gian, and Suneo will also appear in the drone displays. Official Doraemon hot air balloon merchandise will be available during the event, and visitors can shop at the time- limited Doraemon Pop-up Store to take home wonderful memories of their trip.

The popular Hot Air Balloon Tethered Rides can be reserved online, but walk-in tickets will also be available on-site daily at 5:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Don’t miss this opportunity to experience the stunning views from Luye Highland. For detailed event and transportation information, please visit the official website or social media platforms of the 2025 Taiwan International Balloon Festival to stay updated and join the fun!

※ 2025 Taiwan International Balloon Festival – Night Glow Concert Schedule:
(1) 7/06 (日) 19：00 Luye Highland, Luye Township (★+▲)
(2) 7/10 (四) 04：00 Taimali Dawn Park, Taimali Township (Sunrise Show)
(3) 7/17 (四) 19：00 Luye Highland, Luye Township (★+▲)
(4) 7/24 (四) 19：00 Dapo Lake, Chishang Township (▲)
(5) 7/31 (四) 19：00 Luye Highland, Luye Township (★)
(6) 8/07 (四) 19：00 Taitung Seashore Park, Taitung City (★+▲)
(7) 8/14 (四) 19：00 Luye Highland, Luye Township (★+▲)
(8) 8/21 (四) 19：00 Luye Highland, Luye Township (★+▲)
Note: ★ = Drone Show / ▲ = Fireworks Show
※ Special-Shape Balloon Display & Tethered Ride Experience (Mainly features standard balloons for rides)

Event Period: July 5 (Sat) to August 21 (Thu), 2025
● Morning Session：05:30-07:00
● Afternoon Session：17:00-18:30