New Taipei Reading Festival Held Outdoors for First Time with 6-Hour Music Market Performance in Sanchong

The New Taipei City Library announced today that the New Taipei Reading Festival, themed "Listen and Read," will commence on April 18 and 19 at Xiangrikui Square in Sanchong. This marks the festival's debut as an outdoor event, featuring a diverse range of activities including an outdoor reading market, a Jazz live band, a vinyl DJ party, Swing Dance interaction, and unplugged concerts. The first 500 registrants for the outdoor market will receive a free NT$100 voucher. On the first day of the reading market party, in addition to 6 hours of continuous music performances, there will be 25 stalls with a stamp rally challenge. Participants who complete the specified experiences and collect 10 stamps can redeem a NT$100 voucher, while those with 7 stamps can enter a prize draw for items such as an iPad with Apple Pencil, Bluetooth speakers, e-readers, and wireless headphones. The April 19 activities will focus on parent-child reading, featuring picture book story performances and magic balloon interactive shows; there will also be a "Stranger's Desk" event, inviting the public to read their favorite books accompanied by music and light refreshments. Furthermore, free DIY workshops will be offered over the two days, including music box making, lavender twisted stick planting, origami, a picture book lecture by Vanishingly Sticky, and nature bookmark creation on April 18; and picture book stories like "The Most Special Giraffe," "Camping is Fun," and "Rabbit's Hide-and-Seek Challenge" on April 19. Online registration opens at 12:00 PM on April 15. The series of events will continue until May 31.