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Visitors flocked to the Lunar New Year Lantern Carnival at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre (HKCC) Piazza tonight (February 24) to enjoy spectacular lantern displays, boisterous entertainment and colourful shows in celebration of the Spring Lantern Festival.
Organised by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, the Carnival was decorated with LED lights, glittering wishing-making trees and musical lanterns, creating a joyous and festive ambience, and became the hotspot for photo-taking. Another thematic lantern display, "Treasures Fill the City", held simultaneously at the Piazza, showcases different gods of fortune such as the God of Prosperity "Bi Gan", the Five Road Gods, and the Earth God "Tu Di Gong", all conveying wishes for good fortune to members of the public. The thematic lantern display will continue until March 17.
Carnival-goers enjoyed the folk songs and dances by the Yunnan Honghezhou Song and Dance Troupe, as well as Cantonese opera excerpts, lion dance and orchestral performances by local groups. They also took the chance to see Chinese folk crafts from Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macau, such as Shantou's inside-bottle painting, Foshan's traditional paper cutting, Wuhua's string puppetry, Macau's traditional Chinese lantern craft, and a demonstration of traditional Cantonese opera make-up and costuming from Hong Kong. Other programmes, including handicraft workshops, a lantern quiz and roving entertainment, were equally attractive to visitors.
Organised by the Hong Kong Heritage Museum, the "Hong Kong Intangible Cultural Heritage - Exhibition on Craftsmanship of Lantern Making" is also being held at the HKCC Piazza, with a five-level giant revolving lantern, about nine metres high and handcrafted by local master artisans, on display. The exhibition will run until March 3.
Ends/Sunday, February 24, 2013
Issued at HKT 21:30
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