Taiwan's 13th annual Nantou Global Tea Expo was held for nine consecutive days from 10/5 — 10/13/2024. It's by far the largest and most extravagant tea event in Taiwan — with several hundred vendors, and lots of fun activities to be enjoyed. In addition to specialty teas, there are also coffee, fruit and vegetables,  tea ware and arts and crafts being sold. Local news reported that close to one million people attended this year!

Great progress has been made since we first attended this event 13 years ago. Now all of the vendors are inside well lit, air conditioned halls that make it a comfortable environment come rain or shine, although it gets crowded on the weekends! We continue to be impressed by the enthusiasm and endurance of the farmers and merchants who tirelessly serve the throngs of visitors for nine days straight!

Tea & Music is one of the most popular of the many activities that are offered to the public for free. Participants only need to sign up in advance on the same day, and are invited to sit at their assigned table and be served world-class tea while enjoying a live musical performance. Shown above are all those who worked together to make it happen.There are also DIY workshops, award-winning tea tastings guided by tea pros, theatrical performances, and music concerts, to name a few!

In the photo above, the crowd is celebrating 10/10 or Taiwan National Day, where there were several performances in celebration of the Republic of China's 112th birthday. As the sun set, the field filled with a huge crowd for an evening concert.

Overall, this event is testimony to the fact that tea is an essential part of Taiwanese culture, and a thriving industry. Our mentor Tony Lin produced this event for the first ten years, until he retired. He and his wife Lisa are still central figures in facilitating the cultural activities that have become popular over the years.

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