The Sea of Flowers festival is set to kick off Dec. 1 in central Taiwan’s Taichung City, showcasing a diverse variety of locally cultivated blossoms and produce.
 
Jointly organized by the Cabinet-level Council of Agriculture and the Taichung City Government, the event is being staged at the COA Taiwan Seed Improvement and Propagation Station in Xinshe District. The main highlight is the 20-hectare flower landscape zone comprising fields of elegant zinnias, French marigolds, garden sage, plumed cockscombs and a host of other varieties.
 
Running through Dec. 16, the festival also features zones on edible plants, Hakka culture and sorghum crops, as well as six pavilions spotlighting agricultural products from outlying Kinmen County, agritourism, disaster prevention and environmental protection measures, forestry education, lady’s slipper orchids and seedling research.
 
Speaking at a news conference Nov. 27, COA Deputy Minister Lee Tui-chih said the event will help spotlight agritourism businesses, foster sustainable agricultural sector development and raise awareness of Taichung produce.
 
According to Lee, the festival is part of a series of activities at the center aimed at boosting the local economy and promoting regional tourism. Upcoming events at the venue include cherry blossom, firefly watching and tung flower festivals slated to be held in March, April and May 2019, respectively, he added.
 
In an effort to boost international visitor numbers, the Sea of Flowers website features Indonesian, Malay, Thai and Vietnamese language versions for the first time this year. According to the COA, the 2017 festival drew more than 900,000 people. (KWS-E)