Mailiao Township Welcomes the New Spring, Year of the Rat "Rat Brings Treasure, Full of Happiness" Event Kicks Off

The Mailiao Township Office of Yunlin County, together with Formosa Plastics Group, has organized Chinese New Year events that have won the recognition of local residents and the support of the public over the years. As the sixth year approaches, the events continue to bring together all sectors of the local community to jointly participate in and promote Mailiao's local agricultural and fishery specialty products.

Starting from January 25, 2020 (ROC year 109), the following are being held:Celebrating the Year of the Rat-“"Rat Brings Treasure in the Year of the Rat, Endless Happiness"- Local Industry Revitalization Series Events,Mailiao Township Mayor Tsai stated:This year, the enthusiasm continues unabated, with events respectively atXinghua Communitythe plaza in front of Yu'an Temple, the Lettuce Story House, and the Lettuce Story Hall (Xinghua Old House);Haifeng Communitythe Experience Farm,Xinji Communitythe Jinmu Park, andthe Oh My Love Container Market, offering a diverse range of local experiences and delicious food, along with passionate music feasts, performances by the Zhuoshui River Art Dance Troupe and street performers waiting for everyone to come and enjoy.

From the first day of activities on January 25, many adults were seen bringing their elderly parents and children to join in the festivities, using the shuttle bus routes planned by the township office to visit and experience the various event venues and feel the warmth of Mailiao Township; Chen, the Chief Secretary of the Mailiao Township Office, stated: We hope the benefits of the event can be expanded, so we hope everyone will help promote it, check in and like, and share Mailiao, so that Mailiao can be seen. During the event, people were constantly seen checking in and liking, pushing the Oh My Love Container Market's Facebook fan page past 4,000 likes. Many people were also seen at the market, with adults and children playing together, experiencing Mailiao's local cuisine and getting to know local specialty shops, such as: Wujiao Farm, Yuyi Foods, Simu Ren... and more. On the other hand, inflatable play equipment was also available on-site, bringing great joy and excitement to children and parents alike.

The second stop was Xinji Community in Mailiao. Early in the morning, community volunteers, brothers and sisters, were seen bustling about, happily preparing to welcome arriving visitors. Through a community stamp-collecting game, visitors could walk around and see the community, experiencing the beauty of traditional rural village life combined with paper pulp art; on the other hand, Mailiao Township Mayor Tsai was also seen warmly greeting attending residents and exchanging New Year wishes, and distributing lucky bags, which received tremendous response and recognition from the public. The many specialty agricultural product experiences offered by the community, especially the crocodile-shaped rice cracker packs, were the best childhood memories for many middle-aged and older friends. Everyone joined hands to experience making them together, with staff assisting with the final cooking work, allowing this traditional snack to be passed down. Mayor Tsai also wished everyone good fortune in the Year of the Rat and that all their wishes come true.

When the event reached its third stop, the Haifeng Community with its rich seafood flavor, the community's clam-digging activity had already attracted a large number of people queuing up before it even started, waiting to enter the clam pond and show their skills. Combined with lively on-site musical performances and prize quiz activities, many participating residents maintained tremendous enthusiasm and energy throughout; on the other hand, Chairman Han of the Mailiao Township Residents' Representative Council also came to the site to congratulate the public on the New Year, hoping everyone could enjoy abundant wealth and good health. He noted that many of the clam-digging participants on-site seemed to be experts, and hoped everyone would return with a full harvest and full happiness. So after digging for clams, everyone was also invited to taste the fresh sweetness of tilapia and clam soup. Checking in and liking on social media also allowed on-site grilling, letting parents and children enjoy together.

Finally, upon arriving at Xinghua Community, not only could visitors take off their shoes and walk into the fields, with parents and children picking beautiful lettuce together, but they could also enjoy lettuce salad dishes, accompanied by premium music performances and shows by Yunlin County's Love Infinity. They could also visit the Story Hall to take photos with the God of Wealth and explore the charm and features of the old house; in such a lively atmosphere, the enthusiasm of participating visitors was evident, bringing tremendous response and recognition to the overall event.