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Fishermen in Tai O on Lantau Island are gearing up for their traditional celebration of the Dragon Boat Festival on June 11 and 12.
Visitors are expected to flock to the tranquil fishing village to enjoy the annual Tai O dragon boat water parade, which this year is also a highlight event in support of the "Hong Kong: Our Home" Campaign.
On the day before the festival (June 11), Tai O fishermen will observe the tradition of rowing their dragon boats to visit four temples - Yeung Hau, Tin Hau, Kwan Tai and Hung Shing - and to transport the deity statues from these temples to three fishermen's association halls for worship.
The deity statues will be carried on three "gods' boats", with each towed by a dragon boat in a procession through the waterways of Tai O.
On the morning of the Dragon Boat Festival (June 12), a ritual called "Picking the Greens" will be performed before returning the deity statues to their respective temples on the "gods' boats" between 11am and 1.30pm.
The Tai O dragon boat water parade has been inscribed on the Third National List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of China since June 2011.
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Thundering drumbeats and rousing cheering will be heard at beaches and along waterfronts on June 12 when the whole city will celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival.
Exciting races can be watched at the following events:
* The Aberdeen Dragon Boat Race at the Aberdeen Promenade, Aberdeen Praya Road, from 8am to 5.15pm. An exhibition on the festival and the dragon boat races will be set up together with booths for snacks and Chinese handicrafts.
* The Sha Tin Dragon Boat Race 2013 at the Shing Mun River in Sha Tin from 8am to 1pm. A total of 168 teams have signed up for the races this year.
* The Tai Po District Dragon Boat Race 2013 at the Promenade at Tai Po Waterfront Park. More than 50 teams will take part in races from 8.30am to 1pm.
* The Tuen Mun District Dragon Boat Race 2013 at Castle Peak Bay Typhoon Shelter, Area 44, Tuen Mun. More than 90 teams will take part in races from 8am to 1pm to compete in 15 award categories.
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The Kai Tak Cruise Terminal will receive the Mariner of the Seas on June 12 and 13, marking the maiden call to Hong Kong by this 138,000-tonne ship, the biggest cruise ship based in Asia.
The Hong Kong Tourism Board will arrange lion and dragon dances, as well as a drumming show, to welcome the over 3,000 guests and passengers. Souvenirs will also be distributed.
The berthing of the Mariner of the Seas marks a milestone in Hong Kong's tourism development and ambitions to become a regional cruise hub.
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The Hong Kong Red Cross will hold the "Gift of Life" Blood Donation Week from June 10 to 18 to mark World Blood Donor Day on June 14.
The event is aimed at raising awareness of the need for blood to save lives. People who give blood during the week will receive a souvenir as a token of appreciation for their caring act.
For locations of Blood Donation Centres and mobile blood collection points, please visit www.redcross.org.hk/en/home.html.
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A job expo entitled "Say YES to Work" will be held on June 10 at Sheung Wan Sports Centre on the 12th floor of Sheung Wan Municipal Services Building at 345 Queen's Road Central, Hong Kong. The expo targets job seekers aged between 15 and 29.
Employers from various fields and sectors will offer more than 6,000 job opportunities at the expo. They will also conduct job interviews with applicants on the spot.
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The Short Films Contest for the Youth is now calling for submissions. The theme of the contest is "My Feelings, My Thoughts, My Hong Kong". Entrants are required to produce short films about Hong Kong and the communities they live in.
The contest aims at encouraging young people to show their creativity and to express themselves and inspire others through films.
The enrolment deadlines for the secondary school and open categories are June 17 and July 31 respectively. Details and rules of the contest are available on the website youthshortfilmscontest.hk.
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All these events support the "Hong Kong: Our Home" public participation campaign, which aims to inject positive energy into society, foster social cohesion and promote care, mutual help and solidarity in the community.
More than 210 Partner Organisations have so far pledged their support for the "Hong Kong: Our Home" Campaign. Altogether, the Government and Partner Organisations are organising more than 700 events/activities under the four supporting themes of the Campaign from the end of April to the end of December this year.
Full details of the Campaign can be found on the website www.hkourhome.gov.hk.
Ends/Sunday, June 9, 2013
Issued at HKT 11:00
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