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The lantern carnival at Tin Shui Wai Park and Ginza Square tonight (October 2) launched a series of lantern carnivals presented by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Lantern Festival. The carnival featured entertainment programmes and lantern installations for the public to enjoy.
Supported by the Bureau of Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan Cultural Affairs, Ministry of Culture of the People's Republic of China, the Yunnan Wenshan Zhuang and Miao Autonomous Prefecture of National Song and Dance Ensemble and Hebei Acrobatics Group of China performed Chinese songs, dances and acrobatics on the main stage. Other programmes included Chinese instrumental music, golden oldies, Chinese traditional stage arts, lantern quiz, fortune-telling. Lantern installations specifically designed to blend in with Tin Shui Wai Park's special water pool and landscape was a popular spot for photo-taking.
Lantern carnivals will also be held tomorrow (October 3) at Victoria Park and on October 4 at Sha Tin Park and Sha Tin Town Hall Plaza. The Yunnan Wenshan Zhuang and Miao Autonomous Prefecture of National Song and Dance Ensemble and Hebei Acrobatics Group of China will perform Chinese arts in the two carnivals. Details are as follows:
1. Urban Mid-Autumn Lantern Carnival
October 3 (Saturday), 8pm-11pm
Victoria Park
Programme: Chinese songs and dances, acrobatics, Chinese traditional stage arts, puppetry, Cantonese opera excerpts, games stalls, lantern quiz, fortune-telling; and lantern installations featuring "The Endless Innovation", based on the Chinese philosophy classic Yi Jing, and celebrating the 60th anniversary of the founding of People's Republic of China.
2. New Territories East Mid-Autumn Lantern Carnival
October 4 (Sunday), 7.30pm-10.30pm
Sha Tin Park and Sha Tin Town Hall Plaza
Programme: Chinese songs and dances, acrobatics, Chinese instrumental music, Cantonese opera excerpts, Chinese traditional stage arts, lantern quiz, fortune-telling, games stalls; and lantern installations showcasing the participating countries of the East Asian Games.
Lantern installations at the three carnivals above are open to the public until Sunday (October 4).
There are also thematic lantern exhibitions, "Join Hands to be the Legend" at Hong Kong Cultural Centre Piazza from now until November 1, and "Glittering Garden under the Moon" at West Kowloon Waterfront Promenade until Sunday.
The exhibition at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre features various sporting images of East Asian Games mascots Dony and Ami, together with the national and cultural characteristics of the nine participating countries/regions, while the exhibition at West Kowloon Waterfront Promenade features an enchanting garden with lanterns of glittering flowers.
An exhibition of the winning designs and all entries of the 2009 Mid-Autumn Lantern Design Competition is being held at the Exhibition Hall, 1/F, Low Block, Hong Kong City Hall, until tomorrow.
People are urged not to litter and burn wax while celebrating the festival.
Admission to all activities is free. For more information about the lantern carnivals, please visit the website: www.lcsd.gov.hk/eo.
Ends/Friday, October 2, 2009
Issued at HKT 20:30
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