2026 Taipei Water Dance Festival Opens with Water-and-Fire Premiere, Lighting Up the Keelung River Waterfront with Water, Fire, Light, and ShadowPost date：2026-06-26
Updates：2026-06-26
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The 2026 Taipei Water Dance Festival opened in grand style on June 13 at Rainbow Bridge by Xikou Wharf in Songshan. Taiwan’s only dual water dance show spanning both a bridge deck and a river surface has been upgraded again this year. At the opening, Taipei City Mayor Chiang Wan-an and distinguished guests jointly launched the first ''Water & Fire Dance'' performance, combining dazzling water choreography with low- and mid-altitude fireworks, fire-breathing dragon effects, and songs from the classic musical ''The Phantom of the Opera''.
Through the interplay of water, fire, light, and shadow, the show lit up the Keelung River waterfront and raised the curtain on this year's event. This year's event uses a multilayered ''dual water dance'' platform on Rainbow Bridge and the Keelung River, pairing it with classic musical theatre and pop music to create an immersive light-and-shadow theatre experience. The crowd-pleasing ''Water & Fire Dance'' is being staged again for the opening and closing events. After the opening weekend began with the British classic musical ''The Phantom of the Opera'', weekday shows were followed by the theme from the American film Top Gun and K-pop group IVE's ''REBEL HEART'', offering audiences a feast for both the eyes and ears. This year also features rotating waterfront installations of My Little Pony and PINGU, making the area a popular place to take photos this summer.
Making its debut this year is the Piano Fountain, an interactive technology installation. Visitors can improvise with their feet on an oversized piano keyboard; when they finish, a small fountain show is activated for photos. The Piano Fountain has been available daily since June 14, with experience times from 18:45 to 19:20 and from 19:45 to 20:20.
The 2026 Taipei Water Dance Festival runs from June 13 to June 27. Except on the opening day, water dance performances are held daily at 18:30, 19:30, 20:30, and 21:00, with different songs featured each week. On the closing day, June 27, an additional ''Water & Fire Dance'' special performance will be presented again at 19:30. Visitors are encouraged to use public transportation: take the MRT to Songshan Station, or take the train to Songshan Station, then walk to Keelung River Evacuation Gate No. 4 to reach the venue.
Through the interplay of water, fire, light, and shadow, the show lit up the Keelung River waterfront and raised the curtain on this year's event. This year's event uses a multilayered ''dual water dance'' platform on Rainbow Bridge and the Keelung River, pairing it with classic musical theatre and pop music to create an immersive light-and-shadow theatre experience. The crowd-pleasing ''Water & Fire Dance'' is being staged again for the opening and closing events. After the opening weekend began with the British classic musical ''The Phantom of the Opera'', weekday shows were followed by the theme from the American film Top Gun and K-pop group IVE's ''REBEL HEART'', offering audiences a feast for both the eyes and ears. This year also features rotating waterfront installations of My Little Pony and PINGU, making the area a popular place to take photos this summer.
Making its debut this year is the Piano Fountain, an interactive technology installation. Visitors can improvise with their feet on an oversized piano keyboard; when they finish, a small fountain show is activated for photos. The Piano Fountain has been available daily since June 14, with experience times from 18:45 to 19:20 and from 19:45 to 20:20.
The 2026 Taipei Water Dance Festival runs from June 13 to June 27. Except on the opening day, water dance performances are held daily at 18:30, 19:30, 20:30, and 21:00, with different songs featured each week. On the closing day, June 27, an additional ''Water & Fire Dance'' special performance will be presented again at 19:30. Visitors are encouraged to use public transportation: take the MRT to Songshan Station, or take the train to Songshan Station, then walk to Keelung River Evacuation Gate No. 4 to reach the venue.
