This fall, Kaohsiung will again host the National Day Fireworks. Taiwan's National Day, October 10 (“Double Ten”), commemorates the start of an uprising that deposed China's last emperor and led to the establishment of the Republic of China, which relocated to Taiwan in 1949.
The city hosted this event, at what is now Pier-2 Art Center, 20 years ago. The 2021 edition will see dazzling fireworks burst in the sky above Asia's New Bay Area, Kaohsiung's glitzy redeveloped waterfront.
Not many people know that, when it was chosen to be the venue for the National Day Fireworks 20 years ago, Pier-2 Art Center was an abandoned complex of harborside warehouses.
Since then, thanks to a collective effort by Kaohsiung City Government and the private sector, Pier-2 Art Center has emerged as a-must-visit for those interested in art. As well as a place for events and exhibitions, it is a hotbed of local cultural and creative industries. If Kaohsiung had not hosted the fireworks event two decades ago, who knows if these old warehouses would have become today's Pier-2 Art Center?
Now that Kaohsiung has a fresh opportunity to host the fireworks event, the city has chosen Asia's New Bay Area, so spectators can witness the transformation of Kaohsiung's port area. The city hopes the celebration will raise the profile of Asia's New Bay Area.
The port used to be off-limits to the public. To integrate the harbor and the metropolis, Kaohsiung City Government removed this barrier and rolled out a grand project — Asia's New Bay Area.
Four landmark public buildings and a light rail system form the core of the project. Last year, the city government set up a “5G AIoT Innovation Hub” in Asia's New Bay Area, to attract the type of investments that will fuel growth of the hub and nurture an industry cluster.
As a multi-faceted commercial park, Asia's New Bay Area will integrate smart technologies and economic functions, as well as retail and MICE businesses. A new landscape is being shaped by Dagang Bridge, Kaohsiung Exhibition Center, and Kaohsiung Music Center, in close proximity to the cultural and creative industries at Pier-2 Art Center and Jhan-2 Warehouse. As the National Day Fireworks illuminate the harbor district, people throughout the country will gaze at Asia's New Bay Area.
The audience for the 2021 National Day Fireworks will be safely spread throughout the entire harborside area. Spectators can arrive and leave by rapid transit. The Light Rail Transit's Dananhuan Section was inaugurated earlier this year; it serves ALIEN Art Centre, Sizihwan Bay, Pier-2 Art Center, Dream Mall, and MLD Shopping Center.
Kaohsiung's hoteliers and hospitality industries are optimistic that the 2021 National Day Fireworks will lure crowds to the city, giving domestic tourism a boost. To attract travelers, the tourist industry plans to offer a range of packages and programs.
Kaohsiung City Government's Tourism Bureau has announced that, from the start of the summer season, the city will unveil a series of themed events, such as a local-cuisine festival and Cijin Black Sand Festival. Kaohsiung welcomes everyone to experience the city's hospitality!
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