The 2026 Nantou Chocolate & Coffee Festival will kick off on June 19. Nantou County Magistrate Hsu Shu-hua and Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an joined forces to promote the event, while also lending their support to Taiwan’s coffee and chocolate industries. Visitors from across Taiwan are invited to seize the opportunity to enjoy the rich flavors of premium coffee, chocolate, and local delicacies.
The festival will officially open on June 19 at the Fuxing Hot Spring Visitor Center in Puli. To build excitement ahead of the event, the Nantou County Government held a press conference on June 12, with Magistrate Hsu inviting Mayor Chiang to join the promotional campaign.
The collaboration between Nantou and Taipei brought together the two local leaders and attracted a large crowd to the press conference. In addition to showing their support for Taiwan’s premium coffee and chocolate industries, the two leaders highlighted the close partnership between the two regions in tourism and city-to-city exchanges. Nantou County Councilors Wu Kuo-chang, Lin Ju-yang, and Chang Wan-tzu, Nantou City Mayor Chang Chia-che, and Guoxing Township Mayor Chiu Mei-ling also attended the event.
Magistrate Hsu stated that Nantou is one of Taiwan’s major specialty coffee-producing regions. Now entering its sixth year, the Nantou Chocolate & Coffee Festival has developed into a signature tourism brand. This year, the festival received recognition in the third Want Want China Times Travel Awards as a “Featured Event of Nantou County” and was also selected for the Taiwan Tourism Biennial Calendar by the Tourism Administration, making it one of Nantou’s most anticipated tourism events.
This year’s festival is packed with exciting programs, including two carnival parades, three large-scale experiential activities for thousands of participants, four major evening performances, and three spectacular fireworks shows. From daytime to nighttime, visitors can look forward to a continuous lineup of surprises as the county creates an unforgettable summer celebration.
More than 100 chocolate, coffee, and souvenir brands and vendors will gather at the festival, bringing together industry, tourism, culture, and educational experiences in one destination. The event also offers visitors an opportunity to discover Nantou’s premium agricultural products and distinctive local brands.
Mayor Chiang noted that Taipei and Nantou have long been close partners. Nantou is not only blessed with abundant natural landscapes but is also home to many outstanding coffee and chocolate brands.
Taipei has one of Taiwan’s highest concentrations of coffee shops, while Nantou is renowned as a producer of premium coffee. Xiangyang Coffee from Guoxing Township, for example, has earned an excellent reputation. Mayor Chiang said that his participation in the festival press conference reflects the two regions’ commitment to promoting Taiwan’s quality industries through city-to-city exchanges. He also encouraged residents of northern Taiwan to plan a trip to Nantou, experience its coffee and chocolate culture firsthand, and support Taiwan’s local brands and agricultural development.
The press conference also featured hands-on activities. Guided by professional coffee experts, Magistrate Hsu and Mayor Chiang experienced pour-over coffee making and learned about specialty coffee brewing techniques and characteristics. They also visited promotional booths, interacted with local businesses, and took photos to help promote the festival.
Festival ambassadors Kao Man-jung and Nantou singer-songwriter Cheng Ko-chiang also unveiled an original dance track created especially for the festival and launched the “Chocolate & Coffee Dance Challenge.” During the festival, visitors who film themselves performing the dance and upload the video to social media will have a chance to win accommodation vouchers in Nantou and exclusive festival gifts.
Under the theme “Coffee Makes You Happy,” this year’s festival will also feature the “Taste Nantou Pavilion,” organized by the Agriculture Department of Nantou County Government. The pavilion will bring together premium agricultural products, distinctive souvenirs, and local brands from across Nantou, allowing visitors to experience the county’s most representative flavors all in one place.
The popular IP character “Overreacting Cat” will also appear throughout the festival’s illuminated display area, with multiple photo spots creating an immersive experience where visitors can explore exhibitions during the day and enjoy decorative lighting at night.
A digital stamp-collecting activity will connect the “Overreacting Cat” installations within the festival grounds with nearby attractions. Visitors who complete designated stamp missions and meet accommodation and spending requirements during the event period will be eligible to redeem limited-edition gifts.
When Magistrate Hsu and Mayor Chiang get together for coffee, special offers are naturally part of the occasion. According to the Tourism Department of Nantou County Government, during the festival, the first 200 visitors each day who are registered residents of Taipei City will receive an exclusive gift. Additional cross-city tourism promotions will also be launched.
Last year, Nantou County partnered with Taipei City and nine other cities and counties to introduce the “Perfect Ten Intercity Tourism Promotion,” encouraging cross-regional travel. This year’s “Nantou Travel Bonus Month” will also be launched soon, offering even more incentives for visitors to explore Nantou.
The Tourism Department added that Nantou is currently hosting the “Nantou 100K Cycling & Small-Town Roaming Carnival” and the “2026 Nantou Starry Sky Season.” Visitors are invited to cycle through Nantou, enjoy local coffee and chocolate, gaze at the stars, and experience a deeper journey through the county.
The 2026 Nantou Chocolate & Coffee Festival will run from June 19 to June 28. For more information, please visit the official Nantou Chocolate & Coffee Festival website or the Le Tour Nantou Facebook page.
