******************************************************
To celebrate the Spring Lantern Festival, the Leisure and Cultural Services Department will hold three lantern carnivals from February 14 to 16 in addition to its thematic lantern display "Roaming in Love", which is currently on show, and the "Hong Kong Intangible Cultural Heritage - Exhibition on Craftsmanship of Lantern Making", which opens on February 13. Admission to all activities is free.
The first carnival will be held at Hong Kong Cultural Centre (HKCC) Piazza on the Valentine's Day (February 14), which also marks the Spring Lantern Festival. The other two lantern carnivals will be held at Tseung Kwan O Po Tsui Park on February 15, and at Tin Shui Wai Park and Ginza Square on February 16.
The Anhui Arts Troupe, supported by the Office of Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan Affairs of the Ministry of Culture, will showcase spectacular folk songs and dances, instrumental performances and Chinese Operatic songs at the three lantern carnivals. Arts and crafts masters from Chaoyang, Yao and Hong Kong will also demonstrate Chinese folk crafts such as paper cutting, embroidery and silver ornaments, as well as traditional lantern making.
Details of the three lantern carnivals are as follows:
1. Urban Lunar New Year Lantern Carnival
Date and time: February 14 (Friday),
7.30pm to 10.30pm
Venue : HKCC Piazza
Programme : Spectacular ethnic songs and dances,
Chinese folk craft demonstrations,
Cantonese Opera excerpts, live band
performances, dragon dances, origami
workshop, wish-making corner, lantern
quiz and roving entertainment.
2. New Territories East Lunar New Year
Lantern Carnival
Date and time: February 15 (Saturday),
7.30pm to 10.30pm
Venue : Tseung Kwan O Po Tsui Park
Programme : Spectacular ethnic songs and dances,
Chinese folk craft demonstrations,
performances by youth organisations,
magic shows, acrobatics, puppetry,
handicrafts workshops and a lantern
quiz.
3. New Territories West Lunar New Year
Lantern Carnival
Date and time: February 16 (Sunday),
7.30pm to 10.30pm
Venue : Tin Shui Wai Park and Ginza Square
Programme : Spectacular ethnic songs and dances,
Chinese folk craft demonstrations,
performances by youth organisations,
music performances, workshop,
wish-making corner, lantern quiz
and fortune-telling.
In addition to these programmes there will also be spectacular lantern installations at the three venues. The display will be open to the public from February 13 to 23.
Organised by the Hong Kong Heritage Museum, the "Hong Kong Intangible Cultural Heritage - Exhibition on Craftsmanship of Lantern Making" will run at the HKCC Piazza from February 13 to 23. The display, crafted by local masters, features three sets of unicorns in different regional styles - Hakka, Dongguan and Hailufeng. There will also be a three-metre high hexagonal-shaped lantern made from bamboo strips - offering good luck and great fortune to every visitor.
Another thematic lantern display, "Roaming in Love", is running at the HKCC Piazza until March 2. The display features wedding customs of different countries including a traditional Chinese wedding scene, a Western royal wedding and wedding scenes and costumes of Japan and Korea.
For more information on the above events, please call 2591 1340 or visit the website: www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/Entertainment/EntertainmentOffice/events_details/14lanterncarnival/index.html .
Ends/Monday, February 10, 2014
Issued at HKT 18:00
NNNN
