News & Events >> 2008

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Macon International Cherry Blossom Festival Features Taiwan

April 3, 2008

On Friday, March 28, 2008 TECO in Atlanta received a delegation from Kaohsiung City government, led by Vice Mayor Ren-Yih Lin to attend Macon¡¦s 26th annual International Cherry Blossom Festival. Deputy Representative Kuo-Yu Tung of TECRO in DC joined the festival activities later on

The Taiwan delegation was warmly welcomed in Macon as long time friends and a Feature Country of the festival. Kaohsiung and Macon have been sister-cities for 31 years. Vice Mayor Lin addressed the festival goers and VIPs at the Kaleidoscope of Cultures cultural performance event and encouraged his Macon friends to attend the World Games and cultural festivities, which will be hosted in Kaohsiung in the spring and summer of 2009. Mr. Lin also entertained the audience with his musical prowess. It is said that the Vice Mayor is a local karaoke legend in Taiwan. Deputy Representative Tung was invited to address the VIP guests at a luncheon at the Woodruff House on the Mercer University Campus and hosted by the University¡¦s president, William Underwood.

On Sunday afternoon the international guests and delegations joined the Cherry Blossom Festival parade. Taiwan¡¦s float was a colorful display of a traditional temple scene and was announced the winner of the Cherry Blossom Festival Queen¡¦s Award for most beautiful float. Mac Liu of Atlanta designed the float and Kip Dingler of Macon built the award winning float. Members of the Taiwanese community in Georgia came to Macon to accompany the floats procession and Eve Hao traveled to Macon from Atlanta with her dance students, Alice Wu and Maggie Chang to perform Taiwanese dances at the rousing Kaleidoscope of Cultures event.

Senator Saxby Chambliss and Georgia State Representatives Nikki Randall and Allen Freeman attended the parade. Other VIPs present at the festival included members of the Consular Corp in Atlanta and Macon, as well as delegations from Russia and Japan.

The delegation from Taiwan was impressed by the hospitality of their Macon hosts, especially of Maconians Linda and Tom Lewis and Debra and Mark Ballard, who were local escorts to the delegation during their stay in the City in pink.

 

 

 

Posted 4/7/08