The annual grand event, the 2025 Lukang Dragon Boat Festival Celebration Series, launched in grand fashion on Saturday, May 3rd, with the Dragon God Ceremony, themed “Good Fortune and Prosperity for the Year of the Snake.” Dignitaries including Changhua County Mayor Wang Hui-Mei, Chairwoman of the Dragon Boat Races Branch of Changhua County Sports Committee Tu Shu-Mei, Lukang Township Mayor Hsu Chih-Hung, Fuhsing Township Mayor Jiang Yan-Deng, and Chairman of the Lukang Lungshan Temple Committee Shi Hui-Xiong, along with other elected officials, gathered at Lungshan Temple for Dragon God pilgrimage departure. Led by a vibrant procession of local religious troupe and performance groups, the dragon boat teams paraded along Zhongshan Road to Lukang Mazu Temple, where they formally invited the Shuixian Zunwang (水仙尊王), the revered guardian deity of water safety, to join the pilgrimage. In the afternoon, the ceremonial procession arrived at the Fulu River, the venue for the upcoming dragon boat races. There, the Dragon God Ceremony and the Eye-Dotting Ritual were performed, officially marking the start of the 2025 Lukang Dragon Boat Festival Celebration Series, which will take place from May 30th to June 1st. 
 
The annual Dragon God Ceremony marks the beginning of the vibrant Dragon Boat Festival celebrations, a unique cultural event in Taiwan that seamlessly blends tradition, artistry, and tourism. Rooted in ancient customs, the Dragon God Ceremony is performed with reverence, invoking blessings for the safety and success of the Fulu River dragon boat races during the festival. As part of the festivities, visitors are invited to Lukang, Changhua, to participate in a thrilling array of Dragon Boat Festival activities during the three-day holiday from May 30th to June 1st.