Kaohsiung City Mayor Chen Chi-Mai attending the event.

【Kaohsiung】 “The whole place is in such a state of furriness, it feels like a fantasyland.” April 13 and 14 marked the Taiwan Furry Interaction Association’s (TFIA) first visit to the Kaohsiung Public Library (KPL). This year, the KPL Main Library hosted the 7^th “Furry Tea Party: Banquet of Adventures," featuring over 300 participants from 13 countries dressed in furry costumes. Kaohsiung City Mayor Chen Chi-Mai, Minister of Interior-designate Liu Shyh-Fang, Legislator Hsu Chih-Chieh, Director Kao Min-Lin from Kaohsiung City Government’s Tourism Bureau, and representatives of legislators and city councilors also attended the two-day event to celebrate alongside Kaohsiung citizens. Having transformed the library into a fantasy land, KPL invited citizens to search for new furry friends.

Mayor Chen Chi-Mai remarked that the harbor city of Kaohsiung is rich in creativity. This time, with the eye-catching furry friends at the scene, Mayor Chen Chi-Main arrived at KPL to learn about and experience new cultures. Young people have endless ideas for creation and extraordinary imagination, granting them the means to express their self-identities in various ways. By combining passion and interest, they bring joy and relaxation to people. This time, they have transformed people’s perception of reading once again.

In addition to the support given to the unique subcultural gathering, Kaohsiung works hard to promote reading and provide access to related resources at various levels. The dissemination of diverse cultures acts as a bridge between Kaohsiung and the world. As reading activities become more international, Kaohsiung residents can also broaden their global perspectives.

According to Wang Wen-Tsui, the Chairwoman of KPL and the Director of the Bureau of Cultural Affairs, the Furry Tea Party had been previously held at Pier-2 Art Center and Formosa Boulevard Station. This year’s Furry Tea Party, which coincided with KPL’s 10^th Anniversary, provided ample opportunities for meaningful exchange. KPL’s creative decision to hold a hobby-based event has allowed citizens to experience reading in an entirely new, adventurous environment. Moreover, it has transformed the public’s general perception of libraries. Chairwoman Wang believes that the event would be able to draw participation from youth groups, who would join in on the new reading adventure.

KPL’s Acting Director Lin Yi-Cheng expressed that KPL’s collaboration with TFIA this year also involves the National Development Council’s Bilingual Policy. The idea for the event itself was born and developed during World Book Day in Western countries. With the addition of TFIA’s IP character, KPL crafted a unique adventure story experience for visitors, transforming them into an adventurous reading journey. Hopefully, reading will help citizens find the balance between fun and knowledge. In addition, KPL also managed to create a visual feast through this cross-domain cooperation of reading activities.

A diverse collection of furry animals, such as lions, wolves, cute cats, and dogs, were stationed between the bookshelves at KPL. Some visitors took photos while others drew pictures, trying to carve their favorite animals in memory. This is the moment furry fans long for. TFIA Chairman Haneneko remarked that those who attended the Furry Tea Party had spent much time, energy, and money to design and craft their costumes. Each of them had unique names and personalities. The Furry Tea Party has always been a much-cherished opportunity for furry fans to gather and interact with each other, which has been further showcased this year with the attendance of participants from 13 countries.

“Adventurer’s Mission: The Reading Market has officially begun.” For this year’s event, the venue was decorated with elements relating to classic Western literary works and adventure stories. This included the furry version of dragons, knights, and princesses from classical stories. In addition to fun and adventurous games, the KPL Main Library prepared a bilingual adventure reader’s cosplay theatre for the citizens, complete with gifts for the winner of the challenges. Furthermore, citizens who borrowed books on April 13 and 14 would receive tokens and could head over to certain stalls at Adventurer’s Market to accept a challenge. Winners would receive a Polaroid photograph as a souvenir. In addition, KPL also held story-reading sessions for children and adults alike.

The Kaohsiung Public Library (KPL), the National Science and Technology Museum (NSTM), and Shoushan Zoo have also joined hands to promote magnetic creative merchandise for “DayDay Children’s Journey.” New item series such as “The Mobile Library” and “The Main Library Architecture” are now available. These items come in limited amounts and are very popular. Citizens may attain one random item by participating in the activities at the Reading Market. Every furry attendant had a unique mission in this year’s event. In addition to the Adventurer’s Market on B1, they were stationed at various spots in both the Main Library and TAi Urban Resort, ready to greet readers and citizens passing them along the way.

As a continuation of the Adventurer’s Market held in celebration of World Book Day, KPL and TFIA collaborated to host the “Let’s Listen to Furry Stories” activity. The furry friends will occasionally visit and participate in storytelling activities at KPL branch libraries in May and July. KPL will also continue hosting other events and activities for the World Book Day. Among these events are foreign-language speeches, drama performances, and bilingual workshops held at every branch library. These activities will expand the reach of bilingual learning and allow citizens to immerse themselves in bilingual environments.

For more detailed information, please visit the KPL official website.