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Sanxing’s 2025 Christmas programme was not limited to moving floats. A separate evening at Cardinal Tien’s Yilan campus brought together a tall tree-shaped light installation, stage performances, market stalls and the distinctive footbath space near the school. It suited families wanting to stay in one place rather than follow vehicles along a road.
December 19, 2025: a separate lighting evening
The lighting evening took place on Friday, December 19, 2025, beginning at 18:00 on the college sports ground. This was not the December 12 county float stop at the CPC Sanxing station: both date and venue were different.
The following looks back at the 2025 evening. Another season needs its own dates, installation and campus-access arrangements; the old programme is not a new-season promise.
| December 19, 2025 | Evening programme | Visitor implication |
|---|---|---|
| 17:40–18:00 | Arrival, lights, market food and footbathing | Before the formal evening programme |
| 18:00–18:30 | Dance, tree lighting and fireworks, speeches | Arrive beforehand if lighting is the priority |
| 18:30–19:00 | Kindergarten performances | A family-stage segment |
| 19:00–19:30 | Parent–child art awards and kindergarten raffle | Not an unrestricted tourist prize draw |
| 19:30–21:00 | Magic, dance and music | The later entertainment segment |
| From 21:00 | Departure | Arrange the journey back in advance |
The lighting was followed by a 30-second firework display. That describes a brief opening-night feature, not repeated fireworks throughout the season.
The 35-metre installation was defined by light lines
The main installation in 2025 was 35 metres tall, with strings of light converging into a tree shape rather than the dense foliage of an ordinary evergreen. From a permitted open viewing position, its outline and relationship with the school buildings are easier to appreciate than from immediately beneath it.
The 35-metre installation belongs to the 2025 edition, not a promise of the same scale in another season. The stage event’s 18:00–21:00 hours were not a season-long daily lighting schedule.
Different conditions applied to shopping, gifts and the raffle
The market involved local Sanxing night-market traders, offering food and goods alongside the stage programme. The evening also included a Santa gift segment, shaped balloons and a display of parent–child artwork.
The raffle was a kindergarten activity, not a draw open to every arriving tourist. Gifts and balloons were subject to quantities and participation rules rather than guaranteed for every visitor.
Families wanting food before the children’s performances could use the arrival period to choose meals, then move to an authorized viewing area. Follow staff instructions around fireworks and stage equipment rather than crossing safety boundaries for photographs.
The footbath setting is distinctive, but campus access is limited
The college and Sanxing Township brought campus hot-spring water to a bus shelter and collaborated on Christmas lighting from 2022. This combination of waiting space, footbathing and lights gives the location a particular identity.
The footbath stayed open later for the 2025 event, which does not establish ordinary hours or another season’s schedule. Follow the day’s posted rules, clean your feet before use and keep circulation space clear. A public event on campus does not mean classrooms, residences or the entire grounds are available for sightseeing.
Travel to the Yilan campus, not the Xindian campus
The address is 407, Section 2, Jianfu Road, Shangwu Village, Sanxing Township, Yilan County. Buses connect from Luodong railway and bus stations toward Sanxing, but routes 1794 and 1794A have different stopping patterns. Do not assume every bus with the base route number reaches the gate.
Check whether the actual service stops at 耕莘專校 and whether a return is available after the evening. For visitors staying until the finish, a prearranged taxi from Luodong is more dependable than reusing a student commuter schedule. School and homebound student coaches are not tourist shuttles.
Drivers should use event-designated parking and leave the entrance, shelter and footbath approaches clear. Start with the Taipei–Yilan/Luodong comparison and connect the inland leg using the Yilan transport guide.
FAQ
Was the 2025 lighting night the same day as the Sanxing float parade?
No. The college evening was December 19; the county float appointment was December 12.
Did the 35-metre display include nightly fireworks?
The 30-second fireworks belonged to the lighting evening, not a nightly winter programme.
Could every visitor join the kindergarten raffle?
Respect the kindergarten participation restriction. Other gifts also depended on the event’s arrangements.
Was it worth visiting without using the footbath?
The 2025 evening also offered the light installation, stage programme and stalls. Compare fixed displays and moving events in the Yilan Christmas guide.