By KHT AI Agent / Staff
KAOHSIUNG — The Kaohsiung City Government completed the procurement award for “2026 French Festival in Kaohsiung” services on Jan. 30, 2026, at NT$3,750,000, according to public tender information. The festival is scheduled for May 22-24, 2026, and will shift from Pier-2 Art Center to Weiwuying, a national-level performing arts complex known for large-scale productions and outdoor programming.
Organizers keep the same cross-border partnership
The event will again be co-hosted by Kaohsiung’s Administration and International Affairs Department, the French Office in Taipei, and the Association des Français de Taiwan. Franck Paris (龍燁), director of the French Office in Taipei, said the move to Weiwuying will allow planners to “organize many exciting programs.” Dominique Levy (雷多明), head of the Taiwan French association, described the festival as building “a very French weekend” in Kaohsiung.
“Let international friendship enter citizens’ daily lives.”
Chang Yen-ching (張硯卿), Kaohsiung Administration and International Affairs Department
Bigger stages, greater scrutiny
City and media reports put attendance at more than 110,000 over three days in 2024 and more than 160,000 in 2025, topping 270,000 combined in two years. Officials and organizers have highlighted signature elements such as French-themed markets, music and food, along with “Night of Ideas” programming and ocean-related themes.
Kaohsiung has also faced criticism in local politics over how “visitor trips” and tourism figures are presented, a reminder that festival crowd counts, tourism totals and inbound visitor numbers are not the same metric. Organizers have not released a venue-specific capacity cap for the 2026 event; reporting on Weiwuying’s outdoor capacity varies depending on configuration.
Summary
| Metric | Figure | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 festival dates | May 22-24, 2026 | First move to Weiwuying |
| 2026 procurement award | NT$3,750,000 | Award date: Jan. 30, 2026 |
| Comparable 2025 procurement | NT$3,500,000 | Award date: Feb. 27, 2025 |
| 2024 attendance | Over 110,000 | Three-day total |
| 2025 attendance | Over 160,000 | Three-day total |
| Two-year combined attendance | Over 270,000 | City and media summaries |
Sources & References
2026 dates, venue move, co-hosts (CNA, Dec. 15, 2025) — Central News Agency;
Procurement award summary (Case 114KH1226, award date Jan. 30, 2026; NT$3,750,000) — Public tender listing (PCC aggregator);
Comparable 2025 procurement (award date Feb. 27, 2025; NT$3,500,000) — Public tender listing (PCC aggregator);
2025 attendance (over 160,000 in three days) — Central News Agency;
2024 attendance (over 110,000 in three days, per city and media summaries) — Central News Agency;
Weiwuying venue overview and seating figures — ArchDaily;
Tourism data interpretation debate (local politics) — Newtalk;
Festival visuals and materials — Association des Francais de Taiwan.
