By KHT Staff. Images and info via KH City Tourism Bureau.
KAOHSIUNG — More than 50 dessert and food vendors will gather in Hamasen this weekend as the Kaohsiung Ice Festival returns for its fifth year.
The festival will run from 3 to 8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at Shinbinn Station Front, immediately outside MRT Hamasen Station.
Vendors will offer Taiwanese shaved ice, Italian gelato, Japanese kakigori, and desserts from Southeast Asia, alongside drinks, grilled seafood, and other food.
Japanese competitive eater Angela Sato and YouTuber Ikulaoshi are scheduled to appear on Saturday.
The Tourism Bureau said the festival’s previous four editions attracted more than 160,000 visitors. The event has expanded beyond its central dessert market to include activities intended to draw visitors into the surrounding Hamasen neighborhood.
This year’s program includes professionally guided historic walks and an “Ice Dessert Fun Run,” which combines a walking route with stops for food. The activities will introduce participants to the former harbor district’s history, architecture, and local businesses.
The festival will also hold its first public vote for a “Most Popular Ice Dessert Award” through the Kaohsiung Digital Citizen platform. Residents who complete the online survey can receive a limited number of vouchers for use at the event.
The city said all participating food vendors have undergone inspections by the Kaohsiung Department of Health.
In addition to local dessert shops, the market will include international food and drink brands. Other offerings will include snacks from me coffee, a locally produced peach sparkling drink from DB Brewery, grilled squid from Cijin, and food from Matsu.
The festival coincides with South Korean group EXO’s concerts at Kaohsiung Arena.
Concert ticket holders can present their tickets at the festival service counter to receive a limited-edition dessert voucher. The vouchers can be used at festival stalls and participating businesses in the Hamasen Shopping District.
Kaohsiung’s night market and commercial district vouchers will also be accepted at the event.
The Tourism Bureau said the partnership is intended to encourage concert visitors to spend additional time in Hamasen and nearby shopping areas.
Reusable tableware will be available for rent, with discounts offered to visitors who use it.
Because parking is limited in Hamasen, organizers are urging visitors to use public transportation. The venue is outside Exit 2 of MRT Hamasen Station on the Orange Line and beside the C14 light rail station.
Registration is required for the guided walks and dessert fun runs.
