2023 Taoyuan Mesona Carnival “Land of Mesona“

Mesona is a plant used in food and medicine. Its tea can enhance heat dissipation in bodies. Flowers resemble lavender. Due to topographic and climatical features, Yangmei area is suitable for mesona. Mesona saplings grown in local farms are distributed across Taiwan.

The carnival is held to facilitate local development. Young farmers provide saplings on site, and attract visitors with installations and activities. Installations are made by designers, students, and residents. Local people also design mesona pastries for afternoon tea. Associations and farms in the community teach people how to grow and harvest mesona, and introduce its applications.

If art festivals are treated as a cultural governance tool, sustainable and robust activities can be used to communicate public policies. The carnival continues to evolve over time, and collaborative works with the community are added for the first time this year. Events in the carnival are designed to create a participatory industry and ecosystem with local features.