With the approach of the Lunar New Year, vendors across the city are getting ready for shoppers who are looking for deals on merchandise ranging from dried goods to new clothing.

First time visitors to Taipei this time of the year will discover the annual Lunar New Year Street Bazaar to be an unforgettable experience. Try making your way through an overwhelming number of shoppers packed into the marketplace! Along the way, you will find it hard to resist the temptation when generous merchants hand out free samples of delicious treats to challenge your taste buds.

In 1996, the city government held the first “Lunar New Year Street Bazaar,” allowing traditional business districts to have its “focus” their goods and making residents’ shopping a lot easier. Over the years, more and more commercial areas in Taipei are taking part in this once-a-year event, including Dihua Street, Huayin Street, Ningxia Street Night Market, Taipei City Mall, and the “Station-rear” commercial district outside Taipei Main Station. This year, the city government invites everyone to come to the 2010 Lunar New Year Street Bazaar in Taipei!

Date: January 29 ~ February 12

Free Activity Pamphlet:

DED will be releasing a guide for the 2010 Lunar New Year Street Bazaar. The guide includes English introductions to the various bazaars and markets in Taipei, allowing foreign visitors and migrant workers to enjoy the fun of shopping at the bazaars.

In addition, the publication comes with a map listing out the shops and stores; it also offers information on bargains and discounts. The free booklet can be obtained at the following places between January 25 and February 12: local MRT stations, Taipei district offices, visitor information centers, OK-mart, and more. Remember to pick up your copy while supplies last!

Fun and Prizes:

Raffles Opportunity: Costumers spending NT$500 or more at designated partner shops will receive a free raffle-postcard. You can enter the raffle by placing the postcard into the raffle boxes at the information desks or by mailing it to the organizing agency. The winners of 400 prizes will be determined on February 5 and February 12 respectively. The drawing session will start at 8 PM at the Yongle Plaza on these dates.

Instant Drawing: Between January 29 and February 12, shoppers spending NT$168 or more can bring their receipt to the information desk for prize drawing. Lucky winners can win prizes ranging from small gifts to New Year Money!

Special Events:

Promotion Activity – NT$100 Lucky Bags

Come shop at the department stores at the commercial area outside the rear entrance of Taipei Railway Station! To celebrate Lunar New Year, customers can buy Fukubukuro (“Lucky Bags”) at selected stores for only NT$100!

Promotion Activity – Health and Fitness All Year Long

Are you worried about eating too much for the holidays? Are you agonized by your weight? Come and enjoy challenges combining videogames and workout! Challenge your opponent to games that require coordination of the body and see what the videogame stores in the shopping mall have to offer!

Fire Drill and End-of-the-year Cleanup

To welcome the Year of the Tiger, the staff and workers at Dihua Street stores will take this time to clean up the environment and conduct fire drills, offering customers a clean and safe environment throughout the Lunar New Year Street Bazaar.

Promotion Activity – NT$1,000 Souvenir Shopping Spree

Do you have any idea about what to buy for your friends when visiting during Lunar New Year? To promote business and help consumers save valuable time, the organizers have invited online shops to come and set up a display area to showcase their products in public.

Promotion Activity – Hokkaido Specialties

This year, the organizers of the Lunar New Year Street Bazaar will be working with Hokkaido stores to bring food product, specialty product, and cuisine from the northern-most island of Japan to Taipei.

Promotion Activity – Chef Choices for Lunar New Year Dishes

For Chinese families around the world, the food and dishes placed on the New Year’s Eve dinner table are prepared with great care and often involves the use of exotic ingredients. Come to the event to learn how to choose the best quality ingredient, whether rare mushrooms or mullet roes, for a fair price from the chefs themselves.

Promotion Activity – Mayor Hau at Dihua Street Lunar New Year Bazaar

Dihua Street is the home to one of the most important Lunar New Year Street Bazaar in Taipei. People from across the city come here to purchase Lunar New Year merchandise. The mayor will be visiting Dihua Street to say “Happy New Year” to shoppers and promote the 2010 Taipei International Flora Expo.

Promotion Activity – Mayor Hau at Ningxia Street Night Market

Ningxia Street Night Market is known for booths and stalls offering all kinds of delicious snacks. Some of the stores have been in business for two or more generations. In addition, the stores will also be holding end-of-the-year banquets on this day, strengthening the holiday atmosphere.

Promotion Activity – Hot Pots for Everyone!

A common Lunar New Year cuisine is Chinese hot pot. This entree is great for the dinner on New Year’s Eve and works just as well for meals on any winter’s day. The event introduces different kinds of hot pots, from ones that excel in taste to those boasting healthy ingredients.

Promotion Activity – Mayor Hau at Binjiang Street Market

Binjiang Street Market is an important shopping place for residents of Neihu and Dazi. The selection of New Year commodities available at the stores and shops along Binjiang Street is comparable to those at Dihua Street – especially in the area of fruits and fresh food.

For more information on this year’s Lunar New Year Street Bazaar and related activities, please visit: 2010 Lunar New Year Bazaar Official Website