Thousands of ticket holders filed into New Taipei’s Banqiao First Stadium on Friday evening for the 115th National Day concert, headlined by Japanese vocalist Maki Ohguro—known to anime fans for Slam Dunk themes—alongside Enno Cheng, Sangpuy, and cross-border indie acts.
Lineup and theme
The show, themed “The World’s Stage, Gathering in Taiwan,” opened with hip-hop warm-up acts and folk-orchestra collaborations before international guests took the stage. Organizers stacked eight segments mixing Hoklo, Hakka, and Indigenous performers with guests from Japan, Korea, and Indonesia such as Grrrl Gang and Lang Lee.
Free tickets exhausted on KKTIX in September when more than 9,000 seats were released. TVBS and YouTube carried live streams for viewers without passes.
City hosting role
New Taipei Mayor Hou Yu-ih said the city’s first time hosting the national concert is a milestone for a municipality often overshadowed by Taipei’s political stage. Afternoon “New Taipei Kaleidoscope” fairs at the stadium plaza featured food vendors, dance troupes, and circus acts for families arriving before gates opened at 4:30 p.m.
Organizers said more than 2,500 overseas compatriots joined celebrations in Banqiao, part of a wider return of diaspora visitors for National Day week.
Production notes
The New Taipei Symphony Orchestra, Longtan Philharmonic, and youth choir backed several numbers, including Mandarin and Hakka arrangements of patriotic standards. Drag performers and competitive cheer squads appeared in later segments, reflecting the culture ministry’s push for diverse stage representation on national holidays.
Security and traffic plans routed crowds through Banqiao MRT exits with police-managed cordons; attendees were advised to use mass transit because on-street parking near the stadium is limited.
What follows on the calendar
Saturday’s official National Day ceremony takes place in front of the Presidential Office in Taipei, featuring a Black Hawk helicopter disaster-relief demonstration in this year’s program. Saturday night’s national fireworks move to Taitung County’s Beinan River mouth, pairing orchestral music with roughly 19,000 shells visible along the east coast.
For concertgoers, the Banqiao show is the nightlife anchor before the more formal Saturday rituals—an evening of pop and rock rather than military parade optics.
Industry angle
Live promoters said securing Ohguro weeks before a holiday helps local vendors selling official merchandise and food stalls. Even with free admission, the concert pumps hotel nights in Banqiao and Taipei for returning overseas Taiwanese—a soft-power export the culture ministry counts when budgeting future national events outside the capital.
Accessibility
Organizers reserved wheelchair sections near midfield sightlines and provided sign-language interpreters for selected segments, according to the culture ministry handbook distributed to volunteers. Noise levels were capped during orchestral portions so nearby residential towers received advance notice of sound checks.