Beehive Fireworks, aka, Beehive Rockets Festival is a unique fireworks festival that happens annually in Tainan. It is traditionally held on the 14th and 15th day of the Chinese New Year. This year, it will be held on February 18th and 19th. This spectacular festival has been featured around the work and even aired on CNN.
Only the Brave Will Survive
It will rain fire from the Gods. With over a million fireworks going off, you will be at ground zero. Rockets will be going off indiscriminately. Everyone is a target and you will not come out unscathed. You will be bruised. Your protective armor of a plastic rain coat will be destroyed. The fireworks will burn holes, so wear additional protective gear that you can afford to throw away as they will not survive. Your eardrums will be ringing for hours from the intensity of the fireworks shooting off right in front of you.
Are your ready for the challenge? Go at your own risk!
One word of precaution, gentlemen…please don’t use a “Hello Kitty” towel to cover your helmet like the survivor in the video. Your kids and grandchildren will see your pictures one day. How can you embellish your tales of heroism and surviving one of the world’s most dangerous rituals when you’re wearing “Hello Kitty!”
Yanshui Beehive Festival Party Bus
Don’t worry about how to get there. Let 加楓二 Fh2 – Taphouse & Pizza Pub take you there VIP style. They are sponsoring a Party Bus to the Yanshui Beehive Festival with a lot of extras thrown in.
Click here for Party Bus information.
TICKET PRICES:
Early Bird ~ $600 NT/person (FIRST 30 people to PAY)
Regular ~ $700 NT/person
INCLUDES:
Return party bus to and from Yanshui (from FH2)
A farewell group shot at FH2
TWO Budweiser Beers to drink on the bus.
*Coolers on board for extra BYOB
WE WILL START ACCEPTING PAYMENT Saturday, FEBRUARY 16th
Payment/reservation can be made at FH2. Clicking GOING will reserve you a spot, but payment must be received by the close of business Monday night, Feb 18th or your spot will open into a first pay first serve system until the buses are filled. Reggie L. Ogletree will also be available for payment in the south (please PM him). We will do our best to accommodate as many people as we can. *Coolers on board for extra BYOB (Bring Your Own Beer)
Gallery
*Photo Credits: Tainan Tourism Bureau
History
According to many sources, it is commonly believed that the festival originated from a cholera epidemic which broke out around 1875 and lasted for more than twenty years. To ward off the disease, the survivors invited the spirit of Kuan Kung, the Chinese god of war. He let off earth-shattering fireworks and the epidemic ended. For his heroism, the statue of Kuan Kung is paraded around Yanshuei in the middle of the fireworks.
Getting There
Source: Tainan Tourism Bureau
Public Transportation
- Take the train to Xinying Train Station
- Walk to the bus stop right across the train station, Take the bus (Brown Line, Brown No. 1, Brown No. 3) to Yanshui
- Get off at Yanshui stop, or ask the driver to tell you when to disembark.
- The last bus for the night departs at 01:00 midnight (from Yanshui to Xinying). The last bus from Xinying to Tainan train station departs at 23:00.
Driving Directions
Exit at Xinying interchange and head towards Yanshui, drive west along county highway No.172 for approx. 2.6 km. Traffic control will be implemented in downtown Yanshui from 15:00. So private vehicles and buses can only park/stop outside the downtown area. Pedestrians can walk about 10 minutes to the fireworks area.
For more information, visit the official site of the 2019 Yanshui Beehive Fireworks Festival.
Cover Photo: Tainan Tourism Bureau