Buns fly at Nanfang’ao fishing port as Mackerel Festival brings blessings and cross-cultural flavors

Buns flew over Nanfang’ao fishing port as Yilan’s 2026 Big Mackerel Festival opened with a traditional blessing ceremony. Guests tossed buns symbolizing peace and a plentiful harvest toward the crowd, sending the celebration into high gear.

This year’s event marks the 30th anniversary of the Mackerel Festival and 100 years since people from Kochi migrated to the area. Visitors can sample charcoal-grilled mackerel and handmade fish balls, while chef Chen Chi-tsung has prepared creative dishes including mackerel roe floss crisps. The festival is also working with Dongshan’s IBU Kitchen for Southeast Asian-inspired food such as Sumatran fish cakes and Bali lemongrass fish sticks, served with Indonesian herbal drink jamu.

The market has placed migrant-worker inclusion and marine education at the center of its program. The “Travel Around the World” challenge lets visitors try the Indonesian angklung, identify Southeast Asian spices and play a traditional seed-sowing game. Schools are also taking part in educational activities, including indigo-dye creations. In the evening, migrant workers will perform in the “Happy Voices” program, followed by an ice-water fish-catching challenge.

The main events are scheduled for Sunday. At 8:30 a.m., the “Big Mackerel Arts Formation” will lead a protection parade through the community, presenting fishing-village religious traditions. The procession will return at 11 a.m., when another bun-tossing blessing will take place. Organizers are inviting the public to visit Nanfang’ao and experience the port’s maritime culture.