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The Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) will present a wide range of activities including festive lantern carnivals and lantern displays to celebrate the coming Mid-Autumn Festival. Admission to all activities is free.
A thematic lantern display entitled "Blossom Beneath the Moon" is being held at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre Piazza until October 18. Based on the Mid-Autumn legend "The Goddess Chang'e Flies to the Moon", the lantern display features little Chang'e and rabbits playing between a sea of flowers.
Three lantern carnivals featuring a variety of entertainment will be held at Sha Tin Park on September 26, at Victoria Park on September 27 and at Tsing Yi Park on September 28. Details of the carnivals are as follows:
1. New Territories East Mid-Autumn Lantern Carnival
September 26 (Saturday), 7.30pm to 10pm
Sha Tin Park
Programme: Spectacular Chinese ethnic dances and
songs, acrobatics, demonstration of
Chinese folk crafts, Chinese orchestral
music, clown and puppet shows,
a traditional Chinese stage arts show,
interactive African drumming, a grand
parade, fun workshops, traditional
snack stalls, a lantern quiz
and a wish-making corner.
Lantern display period: September 25 to October 1
2. Urban Mid-Autumn Lantern Carnival
September 27 (Sunday), 8pm to 11pm
Victoria Park
Programme: Spectacular Chinese ethnic dances and
songs, acrobatics, a fire dragon dance
parade, demonstration of Chinese folk
crafts, percussion performances,
accordion performances, a local movie
songs and Cantopop concert, lion dance,
Chinese costume showcase and fitting
activities, kung-fu, hip hop dance,
screenings of old Hong Kong movies,
a creative market and a lantern quiz.
Lantern display period: September 23 to 28
3. New Territories West Mid-Autumn Lantern Carnival
September 28 (Monday), 7.30pm to 10pm
Tsing Yi Park
Programme: Spectacular Chinese ethnic dances and
songs, acrobatics, demonstration of
Chinese folk craft, Chinese
instrumental music, dance performances,
a cappella and piano performances,
a clown show, a Hakka kung-fu and
unicorn parade and a lantern quiz.
Lantern display period: September 25 to October 1
The Shanghai Arts Troupe, supported by the Office of Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan Affairs of the Ministry of Culture, will perform spectacular folk songs, dances and acrobatic shows in the three carnivals. In addition, folk art demonstrations by Guangdong and local masters including Guangzhou olive kernel sculpture, Canton embroidery, Cantonese opera headdress making, Chinese paper cutting, leather shoe making and traditional face threading will also be featured.
The carnival sites will each be decorated with beautiful lanterns. The Victoria Park carnival will showcase several spectacular lanterns, including a giant lantern presented by the Hong Kong Intangible Cultural Heritage Office of the LCSD. Crafted by local masters, the 7-metre-high Chinese-style lantern has four levels. It combines "fa pao" and revolving lantern elements and depicts the story of Chang'e flying to the moon as well as Mid-Autumn celebrations in the streets of old Hong Kong through various "fa pao"-style figures. Also, students' creativity will be displayed through the lanterns produced for the Students' Lantern Design Display.
A set of lanterns entitled "I Have a Date with Hong Kong", inspired by local neon light signboards and previously displayed at the Taiwan Lantern Carnival 2015, will be re-installed at Victoria Park. The set of lanterns will contrast beautifully with the exquisite lanterns handcrafted by Taiwan masters.
At Sha Tin Park, a 5-metre-high revolving lantern and lantern installations on 12 zodiac constellations will decorate the carnival, while at Tsing Yi Park, lanterns of lovely creatures such as rabbits, clownfish and swans will add festive joy to the carnival.
Apart from lantern carnivals, the programme "Youth Night" will be held at the above venues one night before each carnival from 7.30pm to 9.30pm, showcasing the energy and creativity of young people with a variety of programmes.
At Victoria Park, there will also be screenings of two old Hong Kong movies, namely "Save Your Water Supply" (aka "Taps Off, Downstairs!") (1954) and "Three Love Affairs" (1963) in the evenings between September 23 and 28.
Taiwanese lantern craft masters Lee Kuan-i, Lin Yu-chu and Lee Ching-yun will present a lecture and demonstration entitled "The arts of Taiwanese lantern making - from traditional to modern" (in Putonghua) at 2.30pm on September 23 at the Hong Kong Museum of History Lecture Hall. Admission is free on a first-come, first-served basis.
People are urged not to litter or burn wax while celebrating the festival.
For more information on the above programmes, please call 2591 1340 or visit the website:
www.lcsd.gov.hk/en/eo/territoryevents/midautumnlantern/midAutumn2015.html.
Ends/Tuesday, September 22, 2015
Issued at HKT 18:30
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