Yunlin Travel: Visiting Erlun's Watermelon Festival, Story House and More!

Travel date: 2024/05/04

In early May, we headed to Yunlin and stumbled upon a watermelon festival happening at that time. Curious, we drove to Erlun Township to check it out. Since we were already near Changhua, we decided to make the most of our trip by stopping at other places, such as the Sports Park and the Story House.

Erlun Watermelon Festival (二崙西瓜節)

The Erlun Watermelon Festival, held at the Ziqiang Fruit and Vegetable Market in Erlun Township, Yunlin County, showcases the achievements of local watermelon farmers and offers free watermelon eating activities. The organizers prepared 700 watermelons weighing nearly 10,000 kilograms for the public to enjoy. Additionally, there was a watermelon eating competition. Watermelons were cut at specific times, and people could line up to receive free watermelons provided by the township government and local farmers and manufacturers. Watermelons are a significant crop in Erlun Township, covering an area of more than 500 hectares, with April and May being the peak seasons for production. The festival, organized for several years now, is a celebration of the town's delicious and juicy watermelons.

Erlun Sports Park

After enjoying the sweet watermelons, we visited Erlun Sports Park, which spans 6 hectares and features various attractions such as a military history park, a green space square, a Taiwan Sugar Train Exhibition Ground, installation art, playgrounds, tennis courts, leisure trails, and a parent-child water play area. The Military History Park showcases retired fighter aircraft, tanks, and artillery pieces, accompanied by Chinese introductions.

Erlun Story House (二崙故事屋)

Our next stop was Erlun Story House, located in the old Erlun Police Station, built in 1899. It holds significant historical value and played a crucial role in policing history and the development of Erlun Township. The preservation of the Erlun branch station highlights the development of the police system during the Japanese Occupation period and its contribution to maintaining public order. Registered as a county historic building in 2005, the site was revitalized in January 2014 as the Erlun Story House, serving as a cultural base for sharing, recording, organizing, and creating local stories.

The opening hours are as follows:

Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, Sundays, and national holidays: 09:00-17:00

Saturdays: 13:00-21:00 

During our exploration, we also tried Jian Bing filled with cabbage and meat. Unfortunately, it lacked seasoning, resulting in a rather bland taste.

Address:

1. Erlun Vegetable Market: 649雲林縣二崙鄉太平路1-11號號

2. Erlun Sports Park: 649雲林縣二崙鄉中正路101號

3. Erlun Story House: 649雲林縣二崙鄉中山路108號