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The Leisure and Cultural Services Department will present a spectrum of activities including lantern carnivals, spectacular lantern display "Glittering Beauties in the Wonderland" and lanterns exhibition to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival. Admission to all programmes is free.
Featuring a variety of entertainment programmes, lantern carnivals will be held at Ko Shan Road Park & Ko Shan Theatre and Tai Po Waterfront Park on September 17, at Victoria Park on September 18 and at Tsing Yi Park on September 19.
The carnival at the Victoria Park fuses traditional and modern elements. In addition to the display of traditional lantern sets, Victoria Park will display an innovative modern installation art, "The Luminiarium Levity II" by Architects of Air. It is a sculpture that people can enter to be immersed in radiant light and colour. Inspired by the beauty of natural geometry and by Islamic architecture, it features winding passages of small domes inspired by repetitious forms found in the bazaars of Iran. In the day time, the luminosity of light and colour inside Levity II is created purely by the daylight shining through the coloured plastic. At night, the luminiarium is also illuminated from inside to create a radiance and people can appreciate its beauty outside the grand display.
The Kunming City Ethnic Art Troupe from the Mainland will present Chinese ethnic dance and music in three carnivals: Ko Shan Road Park & Ko Shan Theatre, Victoria Park and Tsing Yi Park.
Details of the carnivals are as follows:
1. Kowloon Region Mid-Autumn Lantern Carnival
September 17 (Saturday), 7.30pm-10.30pm
Ko Shan Road Park & Ko Shan Theatre
Programmes: Chinese music and dance, nanyin performances and excerpts of Cantonese opera, lantern quiz, fortune-telling and lantern display
2. New Territories East Mid-Autumn Lantern Carnival
September 17 (Saturday), 7.30pm-10.30pm
Tai Po Waterfront Park
Programmes: Chinese music and dance, folk songs and golden oldies, theatrical performances, nostalgic games, lantern quiz, fortune-telling and lantern display
3. Hong Kong Island Mid-Autumn Lantern Carnival
September 18 (Sunday), 8 pm-11pm
Victoria Park
Programmes: Chinese music and dance, modern dance, fire dragon dance, Chinese traditional stage arts, Chinese instrumental concert, spectacular lighting display "Luminiarium Levity II ", lantern quiz, fortune-telling and lantern display
4. New Territories West Mid-Autumn Lantern Carnival
September 19 (Monday), 7.30pm-10.30pm
Tsing Yi Park
Programmes: Chinese music and dance, puppet and shadow art performance, lantern quiz, fortune-telling and lantern display
Adding colour to the festival, a spectacular lantern display "Glittering Beauties in the Wonderland" will be exhibited at the Kowloon Park from September 9 to October 16, showing a fusion of traditional and modern styles of lantern designs.
The display features the legend of "The Four Beauties": Yang Gui-fei, Diao Chen, Wang Zhao-jun and Xi Shi as the theme while the Jade Rabbit, an icon of the Mid-Autumn Festival is used as the key element to link up the different displays in the Park. Greeting visitors at the entrances of Haiphong Road and Austin Road are dancing fairies in traditional costumes.
In a fan-shaped pool opposite to the Landmark, visitors will see beautiful phoenix and colourful butterflies lanterns. A "Tower of Dreams" is set up at the Landmark depicting wild geese, goldfishes and flowers. The colorful wild geese and the Phoenix nearby seem to be guiding the Jade Rabbit to continue its tour to visit the Four Beauties at the lotus pool.
At the lotus pool, the legendary Four Beauties -- Yang Gui-fei, Diao Chen, Wang Zhao-jun and Xi Shi are delicately crafted with traditional lantern design. Decorations including flowers, goldfishes, wild geese and jade rabbits are also featured. The display is complete with lively dancing rabbits amidst colourful lanterns in the Piazza.
Apart from above, an exhibition featuring the winning designs and all entries of the 2005 Mid-Autumn Lantern Design Competition, will be held at the Exhibition Gallery, G/F, Hong Kong Central Library from September 16 to October 1.
People are urged to avoid littering and wax-burning while celebrating the festival.
For more information on the lantern carnivals, please call 2591 1340.
Ends/Thursday, September 8, 2005
Issued at HKT 17:30
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