PHOTO ESSAY/Penghu fireworks festival opens, starting eventful tourist season

Taipei, May 3 (CNA) The Penghu International Fireworks Festival opened with a grand show Thursday evening, marking the beginning of a series of events for the summer tourist season across the island county, according to the local government.

Nearly 16,000 people gathered near the Guanyin Pavilion on the shore of the Penghu Bay to attend the opening show that featured drones and 7,500 fireworks, the county government said in a statement Thursday night.

Penghu County Magistrate Chen Kuang-fu (陳光復) said before the fireworks show that in addition to the 90-day festival, the county is hosting Japanese artist Yoshitomo Nara's solo exhibition at the Penghu Reclamation Hall and will hold international sports events, including a triathlon and a swimming race across the Penghu Bay.

Nara's exhibition -- the first in Taiwan to showcase his pottery -- runs until Sept. 1, while the fireworks and drone shows this year will highlight the theme "One Piece" to celebrate the Japanese manga series' 25th anniversary, the statement said.

The fireworks and drone shows will take place on Monday and Thursday evenings in May and June, on June 29, and on Tuesday evenings in July near the Guanyin Pavilion in Magong City, including the final show scheduled on July 30.

Fireworks shows will also be held on Qimei Island on June 1, Wang-an Island on June 15, and Jibei Island on July 28.

Most of the shows will begin with musical performances by choirs, pop singers, or orchestras, while the shows on May 6, May 9, May 16, May 23, May 30, June 6, June 20, June 27, July 9 and July 23 will be held as movie nights, according to the county government.