2025 Ershui International Water Running Festival

The Ershui International Water Running Festival is Taiwan’s only cultural celebration dedicated to historic irrigation systems. The event commemorates the construction of the Babao Canal—an 18th-century waterway engineered by early settlers over 300 years ago—which transformed the region and laid the foundation for Changhua’s agricultural prosperity. Now in its 23rd year, the festival has evolved into an intergenerational cultural experience that is friendly, accessible, and widely celebrated. The 2025 theme, “Run with Water: A Tide of Time,” weaves together ritual parades, blessing ceremonies, and the unique tradition of “running with the local deity’s palanquin along the water channels.”
In local culture, this act symbolizes gratitude for water resources and a prayer for abundance, as bearers carry a deity’s palanquin across the irrigation paths to honor the life-giving canal. The festival integrates agriculture, art, and interactive technology to form a cohesive cultural narrative. Highlights include specially curated cultural meal boxes, a collectible stamp-walking tour, and hands-on parent-child creative workshops. Together, these activities expand the festival’s cultural reach, attracting visitors from across Taiwan and international student groups eager to immerse themselves in Ershui’s rich heritage and local spirit.

At the heart of the festival is the signature “Water Running” ritual, led by guides wearing traditional straw rain capes—historically used by irrigation workers—while eight temple palanquins conduct blessing ceremonies along the water channels. Together, these actions vividly reenact the pioneering resilience of early settlers; meanwhile, rituals such as the ceremonial parade, the Headwater Rite, and the Thanksgiving Ceremony further embody the Taiwanese principle of “remembering the source of the water you drink,” expressing collective gratitude toward the ancestors who built the irrigation system
Moreover, the festival offers a diverse range of cultural experiences. The specially curated Cultural Meal Box presents nine dishes crafted from Ershui’s seasonal produce, allowing visitors to taste the story of the region’s agricultural abundance; furthermore, the Waterway Stroll & Stamp Quest integrates an interactive mobile app that guides participants in exploring the irrigation culture and its historical significance.