TAIPEI, May 31 (Xinhua) -- People across Taiwan celebrated this year's Dragon Boat Festival, which fell on Saturday, with a rich array of cultural activities.

From the excitement of dragon boat races and the traditional delicacy of zongzi -- sticky rice dumplings wrapped in bamboo leaves -- to the playful custom of egg balancing, the festivities were lively and colorful.

Amid the thunderous beat of drums and enthusiastic cheers, contestants of the 2025 Taipei dragon boat championship surged along the Keelung River in Taipei, as spectators joyfully snapped photos of the exhilarating moments.

The three-day competition, which kicked off on Friday, has drawn 221 teams and over 5,000 athletes. Participants compete in men's, women's, and mixed divisions, racing in both large and small dragon boats, according to the organizer.

An audience member surnamed Hung, who traveled from Taoyuan to watch the races, said the broad expanse of the river provided a spectacular view. "It's Dragon Boat Festival, so I just had to come see the races in person and enjoy the festive atmosphere."

The Dragon Boat Festival, also known as Duanwu Festival, commemorates renowned Chinese patriotic poet Qu Yuan, who was also a minister of the State of Chu during the Warring States Period (475 B.C.-221 B.C.).

Dragon boat racing has deep cultural roots in Taiwan. Originally introduced from Fujian Province on the Chinese mainland, the sport first gained popularity in Tainan before spreading across the island. To this day, Tainan continues to host races featuring traditional wooden dragon boats.

In the days leading up to the festival, Taipei's iconic Nanmen Market, with a history of over a century, bustled with shoppers. The market offers a wide variety of zongzi, catering to diverse tastes.

"The five days before the festival are our busiest, and we've been selling over 10,000 zongzi per day recently," the owner of a time-honored zongzi store in the market told Xinhua. The store is famous for its Huzhou-style zongzi, distinguished by its elongated, pillow-like shape and fillings such as pork or red bean.

Another cherished tradition during the festival is the "egg balancing" activity, held at noon on the day of the festival. It is believed that successfully balancing an egg upright at that moment brings good luck to individuals and their families.

During the festival season, egg-balancing contests are held across the island, attracting many families to participate and have fun together. ■