Visiting Taiwan in May 2025? From Taiwan dragon boat festivals to the World Masters Games , there is lots to do and events to enjoy in May 2025 in Taiwan; plus Taitung hosts to the big beach party that is East Wave Music Festival 2025.
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Taiwan’s biggest firework festival – 2025 Penghu International Fireworks Festival begins in May with over 30 coastal firework displays over several weeks. Better still, the Penghu fireworks festival is Snoopy themed to celebrate the 75th anniversary of Snoopy – there are even doggy drone shows!
Featuring immersive exhibitions, awesome art aquariums, Taiwan baseball plus two huge Taiwan K-Pop concerts (BTS J-Hope and NCT Wish), here is our pick of the best Taipei and Taiwan events in May 2025.
You might like – Our monthly guides to all the best Taiwan festivals, events and exhibitions including June 2025 events and July 2025 events
Taiwan checklist
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For booking tours, transfers and SIM cards/eSIMs we recommend Get Your Guide, Viator, KK Day or Klook. You can also purchase eSIMs from Airalo.
For booking rental cars visit Discover Cars.
Taiwan Public Holidays in May 2025
Note there are two Taiwan public holidays in May 2025.
1 May is Labor Day in Taiwan (although not everyone gets to celebrate the holiday) .
30 / 31 May is the Dragon Boat Festival holidays.
You might like – Our first timers guide to visiting Taipei and Taiwan >
2025 Penghu International Fireworks Festival (Snoopy Themed)
5 May to 29 July 2025
One of Taiwan’s biggest firework festivals, the Penghu islands burst into life in early May with the start of the Penghu International Firework Festival. There are over 30 individual firework displays and drone shows set to take place across just under 3 months.
This year in 2025, Penghu’s fireworks are Snoopy themed, to wish the beloved beagle a happy 75th anniversary (if that is dog years, that is 525 years old in human years – wow!). We so want to see the Snoopy themed drone shows!
Taiwan is no stranger to Snoopy themed celebrations like regular pop-ups at Huashan 1914 Creative Park plus there are even Snoopy themed 7-Elevens.
The fireworks festival in Penghu ignites several times a week and are often best watched from Guanyin Pavilion (Guanyinting), an old temple looking out across the water.
Check out the official Penghu Fireworks festival 2025 site here >
You can visit Penghu by ferry from Chiayi, or if you’d rather fly, there are organised Penghu Firework tours like this one from KKDay which includes flights.
Get your 2025 Penghu Fireworks Festival Sea Fireworks boat ticket with Klook >
Check out our Taipei neighbourhoods guides:
Beitou >
Dihua Street and Dadaocheng >
Gongguan and Longquan >
Tamsui >
Ximending >
Xinyi >
Zhongshan >
Also check out our guide to the best neighbourhoods in Taipei >
2025 World Masters Games in Taipei
17 to 30 May 2025
Athletes of all abilities from over 100 countries descend on Taiwan for the World Masters Games 2025 which take place across the second half of the month.
Organised by the International Masters Games Association, like the Olympics, the World Masters Games are held every four years in different cities and 2025 is the turn of Taipei.
From taekwondo to tennis, squash to surfing, there are around 35 sporting activities represented with all competitors aged 30 years and above.
The 2025 World Masters Games kicks off with a parade from outside Taipei City Hall on 17 May 2025 and many of the activities will take place at Taipei Dome (also home to Taiwan baseball games).
Please note ticket details are still to be announced but tickets will be available for the opening ceremony plus limited events.
You might like – Our 1 day Taipei itinerary or 3 day Taipei itinerary
2025 Taiwan Baseball Season
Until October 2025
Taiwan baseball is a ‘big-hitter’ and one of the country’s most popular sports.
A fun night out, make a home-run to a Taiwan baseball game – the 2025 Taiwan baseball season is in full ‘swing’ by May 2025 and runs until October 2025, across two seasons.
Taiwan baseball is suitable for all ages and it is easy to buy baseball tickets online or in person at the baseball stadiums or using the Taiwan convenience store ticket machines in 7-Eleven and FamilyMart – many games are played at the new Taipei Dome in Xinyi.
The Taiwan baseball / CPBL games can usually be seen 6 days a week during baseball season – it is only Monday when there are no baseball games played (and the odd other day).
Enjoy the evening action on and off the field as the stands often erupt into cheers with entertainment and dancing also quite common.
Check out our guide to getting Taiwan baseball tickets here >
Try this – Taipei baseball rockets (including the Taipei Dome) with Klook >
2025 Taipei International Dragon Boat Championships
30 May to 1 June 2025
So an intrinsic part of Taiwan’s history and culture, there is even a Taiwan public holiday over two days to mark the Dragon Boat Festival.
Just over 230 rowing teams from all over Taiwan are set to take place in the 2025 Taipei International Dragon Boat Championships along the Keelung River.
This major event takes place concurrently with the traditional Taiwanese Dragon Boat Festival, so it is a fun thing to do in Taipei with kids with lots of food and drink stalls available too.
Check out this Dragon boat activity in Taipei with Klook >
You might like – Things to do in Taipei with kids >
K-Pop Concerts in Taiwan: BTS J-Hope and NCT Wish
24 and 25 May 2025
K Pop comes to Taiwan! We usually have a separate section for gigs at the end of our monthly Taiwan events and festivals but May 2025 is a special month as two of Korea’s biggest artists play Taipei and Taoyuan.
K-Hope (from BTS) recently announced his first ever solo tour (whilst BTS are on hiatus) and he plays consecutive nights at NTSU Arena (Linkou Arena) on 24 and 25 May 2025.
Book your J-Hope Taipei Taoyuan concert tickets >
Meanwhile, one of Korea’s biggest boybands, NCT WISH play Taipei Music Center on 24 May 2025.
Book your Taiwan NCT WISH 24 May tickets here >
East Wave Music Festival Taiwan 2025
Taitung – 17 and 18 May 2025
April saw the huge Taiwan Music Festival in Kenting but May’s biggest concert and boutique beach party is the East Wave Music Festival in Taitung’s Sanya Bay, with free admission.
The beach concert starts at 3.30pm both days, and finishes at 9pm.
Taking place across May 17 and 18 2025 in Taitung, the headline acts announced so far for 2025 include Fire extinguisher, TRASH, Hong Peiyu, Mango Jump and Tanya Tsai.
Check out the East Wave Taiwan festival official page on Instagram and Facebook for the latest line-up announcements.
You might like our things to do in Taitung guide >
Taipei Treasure Hill Light Festival
Now on until 4 May 2025
A short walk from Gongguan MRT Station, Treasure Hill Artist Village is an interesting place to visit (free to walk around too).
It is an old settlement with many abandoned houses and areas that have been turned into artists studios (and many residents still live there).
Held every year over several weeks between late March and early May, several artists and creators install new temporary exhibits during the Treasure Hill Light Festival (the village and its artworks can also be visited all year round).
Exploring the theme of light, expect a wide range of installations and ‘illuminating’ pieces – this May 2025 Taipei event is free to attend. It is also a great activity to combine with nearby Gongguan Night Market, one of the best night markets in Taipei (and very authentic).
Treasure Hill also features in our weird, wonderful and unusual things to do in Taipei guide >
2025 Beitou Summer Festival
23 May to 15 June 2025
An annual festival in Taipei, 2025 sees the return of Beitou’s biggest celebration where live performances, pop-up photo spots and lots of local festivities take place.
This will be a fantastic one to combine with a day trip to Beitou and a walk through Taipei’s ‘mist’ see attraction, Beitou Thermal Valley.
You might like – Our guide to Taipei’s best day trips including spring resorts like Beitou and Wulai
2025 Taichung Mazu International Festival
Until 17 May 2025
Taichung’s famous folk festival, the area is the start of a 300 km+ pilgrimage with followers carrying an effigy of the Taoist deity Mazu.
Worshippers take pilgrimage and there are lots of festivities and performances along the way, attracting visitors from all over the world. Activities take place at around a dozen temples across Taichung.
The 2025 Taichung Mazu festival which runs from 1 February 2025 to mid May 2025 – check their official Facebook page for more details >
Yayoi Kusama exhibition at Museum of National Taipei University of Education
On until 4 May 2025
A retrospective exhibition looking back at the works of Yayoi Kusuma from 1951 to 2005, one of the best art events in Taipei is set to close in May 2025.
The Taipei Yayoi Kusama exhibition features over 70 exhibits, paintings. video and installations and visiting Taiwan for the very first time.
One of the highlights is a reproduction of her seminal piece “Dots Obsession” which was seen in Taiwan before at the 1998 Taipei Art Biennale.
Book your Yayoi Kusama Taipei event and exhibition tickets here with Klook >
Taipei Art Aquarium Exhibition
On until 31 May 2025
Hailing from Japan, Tokyo’s famous art aquarium arrives in Taiwan for the very first time – this sounds like a very ‘fishy’ Taipei event to us!
This touring exhibition has been seen by over 12 million visitors across the world and opened in late December 2024.
A Taipei immersive and sensory experience, the Art Aquarium exhibition started life in Ginza Tokyo and brings to life constantly changing art installations in exotic aquariums with real life-goldfish. Each goldfish tank will have a different theme – this sounds so cool!
Book your Taipei Art Aquarium tickets here >
Ro Wonderlands / Ragnarok Monsters at Navy Destroyer Museum, Tainan
Now until 31 December 2025
Following on from the epic success of the Transformers style, a new year long family-fun exhibition has opened at the Navy Destroyer Museum in Anping Harbour (in Tainan), Taiwan’s only warship museum.
Until 31 December 2025, you can catch these super-cute and colorful Ro Wonderlands characters onboard the ROCS Te Yang vessel (formerly the USS Sarsfield) which was built in 1945 & decommissioned in 2005 – it has been docked in Anping Harbor since 2009.
Admission costs just NT$100 for adults, children under 6 go free.
Get your Tainan Teyang Navy Destroyer Museum tickets from Klook >
Admission to the warship museum is also included as part of the Tainan pass >
Mikan, Kaohsiung’s Station Cat Monthly Appearance
17 May 2025
Once a month, you can meet Mikan 蜜柑, Kaohsiung’s cutest station cat.
Mikan has a huge social following, her own range of cute kitty merchandise and makes regular appearances at a Kaohsiung Metro KRTC station (KRTC stands for Kaohsiung Rapid Transit Corporation).
A stray cat adopted by Kaohsiung station staff, Mikan the cat’s fanbase is growing all the time and hundreds flock to Ciaotou Sugar Refiner Kaohsiung Metro station every time she appears (often in costume). The station is even cat-themed, plus a bakery next door sells cat shaped steamed buns.
And if you can’t make her May 2025 appearance in Kaohsiung, there is a Mikan gift shop open daily at Zuoying MRT station.
Mikan’s next appearance is on 17 May between 10am and 3pm – read about the time we met here >
June 2025 Taiwan events and upcoming exhibitions include:
Babymonster (K-POP) first world tour
28 June 2025, Taipei NTSU Arena (Linkou Arena)
2025 Taiwan East Coast Land Arts Festival
From 21 June 2025 onwards
Check out our full Taiwan June 2025 festivals and events guide >
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