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TAIWAN FUN MAGAZINE,
JULY 2002. VOL.2
ISSUE 7
Diversions:
2002
I-lan International Children's Folklore & Folkgame Festival
Information
provided by the Lan Yang Cultural and Educational Foundation
with editing and additional reporting by Selena Huang / Translated
by Cheryl Robbins
Photos by Huang Shih-chi and Lin Hsin-hung
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The
annual I-lan Children's Folklore & Folkgame Festival,
which received a record 800,000 visitors last year, starts
the first weekend in July and promises to be as popular
as ever, with performances, exhibits, games and water
fun for the whole family. |
Multi-cultural performances
are the focus of this unique event. This year, 17 countries
will be represented, including Russia, Italy, Yugoslavia,
Korea, Nepal and Sri Lanka, bringing music and dance shows
and handicrafts demonstrations that provide opportunities
to learn about a number of countries.
| The
festival's exhibitions are centered around the theme,
"The Remotest Corners of the World are Just Next
Door". As in previous years, topics will include
the history and culture of a number of different countries.
Information is presented with photographs, text and unique
objects. It is hoped that visitors will take away with
them the idea that children's play knows no national borders. |
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Serge Durin is well-known
in France for creating unique musical instruments and promises
to bring to this festival a series of unique musical sculptures.
These large musical instruments will be housed in a traditional
Taiwanese bamboo hut, where Chinese opera and percussion performances
will also take place.
In Chinese culture, children
like to wear fragrant sachets during the Dragon Boat Festival.
In Germany, there is the famous fairy tale about a pied piper
who uses music to lead all of the rats out of the city. During
Easter in the United States, children dye eggs and, on Halloween,
families carve jack-o-lanterns. In the festival's celebration
gallery, participants can learn about different holidays and
festivals from cultures around the world.
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An
exhibition of illustrations from Hans Christian Andersen's
fairy tales promises to be a hit with visitors. Original
illustrations, as well as those produced by 16 international
artists, capture the essence of Andersen's "magic
garden" of stories.
The
games area features a 3-D maze. Those who have visited
this festival in previous years will find that a lot
of changes have been made to this feature. Attractions
include a log bridge, spinning platform, viewing tower,
obstacle course and fun house.
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The water games area is the
most tempting part of the festival on a hot summer's day.
Take the time to play in the "water maze", which
includes columns of water that appear and disappear under
computer control. A DJ provides music and there is a light
show to go along with the water fun. There are also large
and small "reverse water mazes". These are the combination
of music, a light show, giant waterbeds and water columns.
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Follow the twists and
turns of the "Amazing Tunnel" and experience
water columns shooting at you in all directions. Further
along, in the simulated typhoon section, experience
the intensity of gale-force winds. You will need to
bring goggles and earplugs to enter this attraction.
Clearly, with so much
to see and do, it isn't difficult to understand why
this is such a popular event.
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Event Information:
Dates: July 6 to August 18, 2002
Hours: 8:30 am- 8:30 pm
Location: Ching Shui Park, Dung Shan River, Ilan
Admission: General NT$350 (weekends), NT$250 (weekdays) [same
price for adults and children above 110 cm in height]; passes
good for multiple visits are available for NT$600; free admission
for children under 110 cm in height, senior citizens 65 and
older and those with a disability certificate
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International
folk dance performances will take place in the Ilan County
Performing Arts Hall
Dates and Times: Every Thursday, Friday and Saturday at
7:30 pm for the duration of the festival
Location: Ilan County Performing Arts Hall (106, WeiShui
Rd., Ilan City; tel. 03-936-9115, ext.114¡^
Tickets: General NT$150; NT$120/person for groups of 10
to 19; NT$100/person for groups of 20 or more. Festival
ticketholders can purchase tickets at the group rate.
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For further information, contact
the Lan Yang Cultural and Educational Foundation at (03) 931-0720
or the Ilan County Government Cultural Affairs Bureau at (03)
9322440, ext.361
Website: http://www.folkgame.org.tw
E-mail:folkgame@ilccb.gov.tw
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