The Leisure and Cultural Services Department will present a series of lantern carnivals in different districts showcasing a variety of entertainment to celebrate the Spring Lantern Festival. The carnivals will be held at Sha Tsui Road Playground in Tsuen Wan on Friday (February 10), at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre (HKCC) Piazza on Saturday (February 11) and at North District Park on Sunday (February 12). Admission is free.

     Spectacular ethnic songs, dancing and acrobatic performances, as well as the amazing face-changing skills of Sichuan opera performers, will be featured at the three carnivals. In addition Guangdong, Macau and local masters will demonstrate Chinese folk crafts including Foshan paper cutting, double brush calligraphy, mahjong tile engraving, piu sik (floating colours) making and lantern crafting.

     Colourful lantern displays will also light up the carnival sites from tomorrow (February 9), offering attractive spots for photo-taking and adding a festive ambience to the carnivals.

     The HKCC Piazza will be decorated with a lantern installation inspired by a Chinese architectural structure of screen walls containing three merry-go-round lanterns crafted by a local papercraft master, in addition to the currently running thematic lantern display "Blooming Love of Phoenixes".

     The carnival at Sha Tsui Road Playground will feature lanterns depicting festive stalls and characters of the past, while the North District Park will display a 5-metre-high revolving lantern and creative "Corridor of Buzzwords" lanterns.

     Details of the carnivals are as follows:

1. New Territories West Lunar New Year Lantern Carnival
Date and time: February 10 (Friday), 7.30pm to 10pm
Venue: Sha Tsui Road Playground
Programme: Spectacular ethnic songs and dances, acrobatics and face-changing performances, Chinese folk craft demonstrations, stand-up comedy performances, Chinese music performances, folk songs, sign language and dance performances, beatboxing, bodybuilding and martial arts performances, a tea workshop, a lantern quiz corner, fortune telling stalls and lantern displays.
Lantern display period: February 9 to 12
 
2. Urban Lunar New Year Lantern Carnival
Date and time: February 11 (Saturday), 7.30pm to 10pm
Venue: HKCC Piazza
Programme: Spectacular ethnic songs and dances, acrobatic and face-changing performances, Chinese folk craft demonstrations, symphonic band performances,  music performances including classical guitar solo, a musical saw, harp and baroque music, folk songs and Chinese music, a lantern quiz corner and lantern displays.           
Lantern display period: February 9 to 14
 
3. New Territories East Lunar New Year Lantern Carnival
Date and time: February 12 (Sunday), 7.30pm to 10pm
Venue: North District Park
Programme: Spectacular ethnic songs and dances, acrobatic and face-changing performances, Chinese folk craft demonstrations, orchestral music performances, circus performances, Cantopop music and Cantonese operatic songs performances, martial arts performances, a DIY crafts stall, a lantern quiz corner and lantern displays.
Lantern display period: February 9 to 12
 
     In addition to the lantern carnivals, the programme "Youth Night" will be held at the above venues in the evening preceding each carnival from 7.30pm to 9.30pm, showcasing the energy and creativity of young people through a variety of entertainment.
 
     For more information on the above events, please call 2591 1340 or visit the website:
www.lcsd.gov.hk/en/eo/territoryevents/lunarnewyearlantern/lunarnewyearlantern2017.html.

Ends/Wednesday, February 8, 2017
Issued at HKT 13:00

NNNN