Hsinchu County is betting on food tourism to bring visitors and money into Beipu's old-street shops, a positive move for the small businesses there.

• Beipu will hold its "Sleeping Tiger Banquet" on October 17 in the square outside Cih Tian Temple.
• More than 10 restaurants, snack shops, and gift sellers along the old street are joining together for one Hakka banquet menu.
• The menu leans on traditional Hakka dishes — Oriental Beauty tea, duck with pickled greens, braised pork with preserved vegetables, salty rice balls, and pork knuckle with bamboo shoots.
• The event has run since 2022 and uses Beipu's "sleeping tiger" hill shape as its brand hook.
• Local gifts like ground tea, taro cakes, and sweet potato cakes are being pushed alongside the meal to keep spending in town.

Outlook: Expect a visitor bump for Beipu shops around the October event, with the county likely to repeat the format if sales hold up.