New Taipei City has opened its annual Christmasland celebration with a character licensing partnership and a citywide expansion that officials hope will pull holiday travelers into neighborhoods well beyond the downtown core. The Tourism and Travel Department of the New Taipei City Government kicked off Christmasland in New Taipei City 2026 on October 22 with a launch press conference attended by Mayor Yu-ih Hou, according to an announcement distributed via Media OutReach Newswire. The event runs from November 13 through December 27, a 45-day program built around a "Travel" theme.
The commercial centerpiece is a collaboration with Kanahei's Small animals, a globally recognized character brand whose mascots Piske, Usagi and Zombie Neko will serve as the festival's travel companions. For New Taipei, the tie-up matters because character-driven events give destination marketers a merchandisable, photogenic attraction that can travel across social platforms and draw younger visitors and families who might otherwise skip a municipal light display. The city is pairing that appeal with a passport program: visitors can collect stamps at designated checkpoints for a chance to win limited-edition gold jewelry from the character collaboration.
The physical footprint has grown. All four main themed lighting zones were upgraded with immersive light designs, including a giant hot-air balloon centerpiece at New Taipei City Plaza, an eight-meter cruise ship at Banqiao Station Square, a fantasy forest at Wanping Metropolitan Park and a snowfall show at Fuzhong Plaza. The city also connected seven satellite lighting zones, from Sanchong Anxin Center and the New Taipei City Art Museum in Yingge to Tamsui Old Street Plaza and Zhonghe No. 4 Park, with synchronized lighting intended to spread crowds and spending across the municipality. That dispersion is significant for local businesses, since concentrating foot traffic in a single plaza limits the economic spillover of a major festival.
The programming leans on experiences that extend beyond lights. A Korean "color analysis and makeup experience" runs November 13 to 15, with free reservations opening October 29 through ACCUPASS. Organizers also announced a first-ever collaboration between virtual and real performers, with VPOP virtual characters appearing on the concert stage. A Children's Circus Carnival is scheduled for November 14 and 15, a German Christmas Market for December 4 to 6, and the Superstar Christmas Concert for December 12 and 13. The department is encouraging visitors to use public transportation, a practical signal that officials expect heavy crowds. Event details are available through the New Taipei City Travel website at https://newtaipei.travel. For a city competing with regional destinations for winter holiday travel, the combination of a recognizable character brand, expanded geography and a long event window is designed to convert seasonal attention into measurable visitor numbers.
