2026 Taipei Water Dance Festival Kicked Off in Grand Style on 6/13 — Water and Fire Dance Lights Up the Keelung River as Upgraded Water Shows Create an Immersive Light-and-Shadow TheaterPost date：2026-06-26
Updates：2026-06-26
0
Taipei's most talked-about waterfront summer event is lighting up the season. The 2026 Taipei Water Dance Festival is being held from June 13 to 27 at Rainbow Bridge by Xikou Wharf, featuring multi-layered water dances along Rainbow Bridge, soft water curtains, and dual water-dance platforms on the Keelung River. Choreographed to classic musical-theater themes, the show creates an immersive light-and-shadow theater. Opening and closing nights feature the limited-time Water and Fire Dance, combining the water show with mid-to-low-altitude fireworks to present a city nightscape woven from water, fire, light, and shadow. This year's event also incorporates installations featuring internationally known IPs such as Pingu and My Little Pony, along with the tech-driven interactive Piano Fountain, connecting family entertainment, photo check-ins, and Songshan nighttime tourism into Taipei's most eye-catching waterfront carnival of the summer.
During the event, water-dance performances are staged daily at 18:30, 19:30, 20:30, and 21:00. The opening-night limited Water and Fire Dance special performance was held at 19:30 on June 13, and the closing-night special performance is scheduled for 19:30 on June 27. The show combines fire-breathing dragon effects, mid-to-low-altitude fireworks, and illuminated water choreography, with jets of water, flames, and fireworks interweaving along the Keelung River.
The opening show raised the curtain with the British classic musical The Phantom of the Opera. The first week continued with the theme from the American film Top Gun and 'REBEL HEART' by the popular K-pop group IVE, while the second week featured the American indie-band track 'Unstoppable' and 'Love & Loss' by the well-known Hollywood music production company Two Steps From Hell. The finale will close with the Infinity Castle arc from the Japanese anime Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, offering audiences a richer and more layered viewing experience.
Beyond the water-dance performances, this year's event continues its family-friendly appeal with appearances by costumed characters from IPs including Pingu, My Little Pony, Peppa Pig, and Robocar Poli, as well as a rotating lineup of YOYO Family performers. On opening day, Banana Brother also presented a surprise performance, joining YOYOMAN and YOYO performers for a set of sing-along dance hits that energized the crowd.
During the event, large IP inflatables are scheduled to be displayed at the riverside venue on weekends and holidays from approximately 16:30 to 21:30, giving visitors convenient photo opportunities. This year also features the tech-interactive Piano Fountain, where visitors can improvise with their feet on a giant piano keyboard and then trigger a small fountain show when they finish.
Travelers are encouraged to plan a one-day Songshan itinerary: explore the riverside, bikeways, and nearby neighborhoods during the day; visit Xikou Wharf at dusk for the sunset; and after the evening water-dance show, continue on to Raohe Street Tourist Night Market, Songshan Ciyou Temple, and the Wufenpu shopping district.
During the event, water-dance performances are staged daily at 18:30, 19:30, 20:30, and 21:00. The opening-night limited Water and Fire Dance special performance was held at 19:30 on June 13, and the closing-night special performance is scheduled for 19:30 on June 27. The show combines fire-breathing dragon effects, mid-to-low-altitude fireworks, and illuminated water choreography, with jets of water, flames, and fireworks interweaving along the Keelung River.
The opening show raised the curtain with the British classic musical The Phantom of the Opera. The first week continued with the theme from the American film Top Gun and 'REBEL HEART' by the popular K-pop group IVE, while the second week featured the American indie-band track 'Unstoppable' and 'Love & Loss' by the well-known Hollywood music production company Two Steps From Hell. The finale will close with the Infinity Castle arc from the Japanese anime Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, offering audiences a richer and more layered viewing experience.
Beyond the water-dance performances, this year's event continues its family-friendly appeal with appearances by costumed characters from IPs including Pingu, My Little Pony, Peppa Pig, and Robocar Poli, as well as a rotating lineup of YOYO Family performers. On opening day, Banana Brother also presented a surprise performance, joining YOYOMAN and YOYO performers for a set of sing-along dance hits that energized the crowd.
During the event, large IP inflatables are scheduled to be displayed at the riverside venue on weekends and holidays from approximately 16:30 to 21:30, giving visitors convenient photo opportunities. This year also features the tech-interactive Piano Fountain, where visitors can improvise with their feet on a giant piano keyboard and then trigger a small fountain show when they finish.
Travelers are encouraged to plan a one-day Songshan itinerary: explore the riverside, bikeways, and nearby neighborhoods during the day; visit Xikou Wharf at dusk for the sunset; and after the evening water-dance show, continue on to Raohe Street Tourist Night Market, Songshan Ciyou Temple, and the Wufenpu shopping district.
