Giant mechanical elephants open Taipei Arts Festival

巨型機械象揭開台北藝術節序幕

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Three giant mechanical elephants took over the streets of Taipei’s Shilin District on Saturday, with crowds peaking at about 100,000 for the opening of the 2026 Taipei Arts Festival.

The free outdoor performance, titled “Trois Elephants Passent…” (“Three Elephants Pass…”), was staged by French street theater company Compagnie Oposito in collaboration with Taiwanese performers.

The three mechanical elephants, each nearly 5 meters tall, were accompanied by performers, musicians, and large mechanical birds as they traveled along Jihe Road toward the Taipei Performing Arts Center.

The procession began at 7:14 p.m., a time chosen to reference 1914, when Taipei’s first zoo was established. The approximately one-hour parade was followed by a stage performance outside the performing arts center, per a press release.

Horns and heavy drumbeats accompanied the elephants as costumed performers moved through the streets alongside the giant machines. The production combined street theater, music, and visual spectacle, temporarily turning the area into an open-air theater.

The Taipei Department of Cultural Affairs said crowds along the parade route reached about 100,000 at the event’s peak. The department described the performance as an opportunity to transform Taipei into a “city theater without a roof.”

The turnout also created difficulties for spectators. Some people complained online about crowded viewing areas, long waits, and problems moving through the area, per China Times.

Organizers recommended that people attending Sunday’s performance use alternative viewing locations if they could not find a suitable position along the route. The performance was also scheduled to be livestreamed on the Taipei Performing Arts Center’s YouTube channel from 7:14 p.m. to 8:45 p.m.

Sunday’s parade was scheduled to begin at 7:14 p.m. at the Shin Kong Life Insurance Shilin Education Center and proceed to the Taipei Performing Arts Center plaza.

Traffic restrictions were planned around the route. Jihe Road between Zhongzheng and Wenlin roads was to be closed during the performance, with drivers advised to use Chengde Road, Zhongshan North Road, or Wenlin Road as alternative north-south routes, per Liberty Times.

Compagnie Oposito, founded in 1982, is known for large-scale street performances and urban festivals. The production was inspired in part by images of animals traveling through Taipei’s streets when the city zoo moved from Yuanshan to Muzha in 1986.

The 2026 Taipei Arts Festival will continue through Oct. 25 with performances and cultural events across the city.