Lantern carnivals at New Territories East and West celebrate Mid-Autumn Festival
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     The Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) will hold lantern carnivals at Sha Tin Park tonight (September 20) and at Tuen Mun Park tomorrow (September 21) to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival. The carnivals are among the events under the "Vibrant Hong Kong" theme of the "Hong Kong: Our Home" Campaign.

     Both carnivals will feature a series of festive programmes with details as follows:

1. New Territories East Mid-Autumn Lantern Carnival
September 20 (Friday), 7.30pm to 10.30pm
Sha Tin Park
Programme: Spectacular Chinese ethnic dance and
songs, acrobatics, Chinese orchestral and Gu Zheng
music, traditional stage art and wushu
performance, demonstration of Chinese folk
crafts, lantern quiz, fun workshops, wish-making
corner and lantern installations

2. New Territories West Mid-Autumn Lantern Carnival
September 21 (Saturday), 7.30pm to 10.30pm
Tuen Mun Park
Programme: Spectacular Chinese ethnic dance and
songs, acrobatics, youth performances, golden
melodies, Cantonese opera, demonstration of
Chinese folk crafts, fortune-telling and lantern
installations

     The Sichuan Arts Troupe will give folk song, dance, instrumental and acrobatic performances in both carnivals, and demonstrations of Sichuan folk craft such as sugar painting and Qiang embroidery will be given by craft masters. The carnivals will also feature demonstrations of decorative porcelain art and Chaozhou wheat straw patchwork by Guangdong masters.

     The Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra will offer interactive sessions involving the four main categories of Chinese musical instruments - wind, plucked string, bowed string and percussion - and including pipa, suona, dizi and percussion performances and the "Synergy 24 Drumming Routines". In addition, the orchestra will display instruments it developed, namely the Eco-gaohu, the Eco-erhu, the Eco-zhonghu, the Eco-Gehu and the Eco-Bass Gehu.

     Both Sha Tin Park and Tuen Mun Park have been decorated with colourful lanterns, filling the parks with festive joy. At Sha Tin Park, a marvellous nine-metre-high zoumadeng lantern crafted by a local master is being displayed. The lantern has a giant lotus sitting on the top and is painted with Chinese landscapes, flowers, carp and other auspicious symbols on its three storeys. Tuen Mun Park is decorated with a seven-metre-high zoumadeng lantern alongside three other sets of glittering lanterns featuring marine life, an ancient festive market and traditional lanterns. The lanterns will continue to be on display until October 1 and will be lit up from 6.30pm to 11pm.

     Another lantern display, entitled "Home Sweet Home", is being held at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre Piazza until October 13. The display consists of six interesting sets of lanterns to showcase family fun and harmony.

     People are urged not to litter or burn wax while celebrating the festival.

Ends/Friday, September 20, 2013
Issued at HKT 15:00

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