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Carnival-goers enjoyed the Mid-Autumn Lantern Carnival presented by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) tonight (September 12) at Victoria Park. The event showcased a series of entertaining programmes and lantern installations to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival.
Among the attractions were Shaolin kung fu, songs, dance and acrobatics by the Henan Arts Troupe. There were also demonstrations of Chinese folk crafts including paper-cutting, clay figurines and woodblock printing by craft masters. Other programmes, including a fire dragon dancing parade, golden oldies, dancing stage, traditional hand-made lantern display, message under the moon corner, demonstration of Chinese folk crafts, lantern quiz and fortune-telling, were equally attractive.
To add lustre to the occasion, several spectacular lantern installations were displayed. Organised by the Hong Kong Heritage Museum, the traditional hand-made revolving "zoumadeng" lantern named "Giant Lotus Handmade in Hong Kong" was produced by two local paper-craft masters. The lantern is a prime example of a traditional handicraft elevated to an art by skill. About nine metres in height with a flowering lotus on top, the gigantic lantern is hand-painted with pictures of carp, golden fish, Chinese legends and the traditional festive events of Hong Kong. Put together by the skilled hands of the masters, bamboo strips and rice-straw paper are tied to form the shape of a lantern, followed by the mounting of decorative satin cloth onto the lantern structure.
Other lantern installations at Victoria Park include the "Charm·Made in Hong Kong" display featuring people and things from the 1960s and '70s, an animal grove and an amusement park, and the "Lantern Wonderland" organised by the Hong Kong Tourism Board. The above lanterns will continue to be open to the public tomorrow (September 13) and will be lit up from 6.30pm to 11pm.
The LCSD will present the last lantern carnival tomorrow (September 13) at Sha Tin Park and Sha Tin Town Hall Plaza. The Henan Arts Troupe will also perform Shaolin kung fu, songs, dance and acrobatics at the carnival. Other programmes include music theatre, dance, wushu, magic, demonstration of Chinese folk crafts, origami workshop, games stalls, lantern quiz and lantern installations depicting the themes of family reunion and romantic lovers.
There are also thematic lantern exhibitions: "Moon·Fun·Playground" at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre Piazza running until October 9, and "Idiom Garden" at the West Kowloon Waterfront Promenade until September 18.
The "Moon·Fun·Playground" lantern exhibition at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre Piazza depicts various amusement park facilities such as a 8.5-metre-high roller coaster, a glittering Ferris wheel, a merry-go-round and bumper cars as well as lovely rabbits. Members of the public may test themselves in guessing Chinese idioms at the lantern displays in the "Idiom Garden" exhibition at the West Kowloon Waterfront Promenade.
An exhibition featuring the winning designs and all entries of the 2011 Mid-Autumn Lantern Design Competition is being held at the Exhibition Hall, 1/F, Low Block, Hong Kong City Hall, until September 17.
People are urged not to litter and burn wax while celebrating the festival.
Ends/Monday, September 12, 2011
Issued at HKT 21:31
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