The annual highlight of the Hakka villages, the 2024 Liudui Hakka Autumn Harvest Festival, is set to begin! Hosted by the Hakka Culture Development Center under the Hakka Affairs Council, this year’s festival will kick off with an opening ceremony on Saturday, November 2, at the Liudui Hakka Cultural Park. This festive start will usher in five weeks of vibrant celebrations and events.
Ho Jin-liang, Director of the Hakka Culture Development Center, expressed a warm welcome on behalf of Ku Hsiu-fei, Minister of the Hakka Affairs Council, inviting everyone to join the festivities at the Liudui Hakka Cultural Park. Since its inception in 2016, the Liudui Hakka Autumn Harvest Festival has entered its 9th year. Consistently featured in the Taiwan Tourism Events Calendar by the Tourism Administration of the Ministry of Transportation and Communications since 2019, the festival notably received the prestigious "Top 10 Cultural Experience Award" in 2023. Director Ho expressed deep gratitude for the public's enthusiastic support and appreciation of Hakka village events.
Rooted in the Liudui Eco-Museum concept, the festival is organized in collaboration with the Kaohsiung and Pingtung County and City governments and the 12 Liudui townships. Activities focus on four aspects: exploring, exhibiting, experiencing, and treasuring Liudui. This year’s theme, “Peace and Prosperity Across Hakka Villages,” unfolds across five weeks of thematic events. By showcasing the Hakka communities' harvest celebrations, their gratitude and reverence for nature, and the traditional Hakka values expressed in vow-redeeming rituals and feast of blessings, visitors can discover the rich heritage of the Liudui region, experience the warmth of Hakka hospitality, and share in the joy of the autumn harvest season with hands-on participation and guided tours.
This year’s festivities feature a vibrant lineup of unique Hakka traditions from Liudui, beginning with a grand opening ceremony that includes the thousand-person Panhua (Flower Plate) offerings to Bogong, followed by the rituals of inviting Bogong, thanksgiving, and casting divination blocks for prosperity. Adding to the excitement is the Hakka Village Theme Day, where community groups from each township showcase their creativity and local charms. The culinary centerpiece of the festival, the Thousand-People Feast of Blessings, features traditional Hakka dishes made with seasonal ingredients from the Liudui region.
Visitors can also participate in activities reflecting Liudui's lifestyle and scenic beauty, including the Liudui Autumn Harvest Hakka Village Run, Picnic Adventure, Garden Vegetable Picking, Hakka Rice Cuisine Workshop, Movies Under the Moonlight, Liudui Camping Fun, and Learning the Eight Notes of Hakka Music. Over five weekends, the festival will feature Liudui specialty snacks, mini train rides, a Liudui story house, and an autumn harvest market, all inviting guests to experience Hakka culture and local cuisine. Join us in Liudui from November 2 to December 1 for an immersive journey into Hakka heritage and flavors!
During the festival, activities will extend beyond the Liudui Hakka Cultural Park to various locations across the Liudui region. Highlights include the "Pioneering Settlement Exhibition" at Wugoushui Settlement in Wanluan, hosted by the Hakka Culture Development Center; the "Wanluan Huofang Art Festival" by Wanluan Township Office; the "Southern Temalidu Lifestyle Festival" organized by the Indigenous Peoples Development Center; the "Hakka Farm-to-Table Feast" coordinated by the Kaohsiung City Government's Hakka Affairs Commission; the "Plum Blossom Viewing Activity" combined with Liugui Old Street by the Liugui District Office; the "Changzhi Zhongyi Cultural Festival Series" by Changzhi Township Office; the "Zhutian Day" by Zhutian Township Office; and the "Passing Down Hakka Language Across Generations - Let's Speak Hakka Together Parade" hosted by Jiadong Township Office.
Starting next January, there will be "Flower Sea" activities presented by the Meinong and Shanlin District Offices, and the " Neipu New Year Street Festival" organized by the Neipu Township Office. For more information on these events, please visit the official website and Facebook page of the Liudui Hakka Cultural Park, as well as the websites of related organizations.
