China events and festival in Hong Kong

There are many Chinese festivals occurring throughout the year in Hong Kong and incentive planners are especially recommended to check with the Tourist Association as to the best time to visit Hong Kong in order to coincide with a festival. (Dates vary each year, according to the lunar calendar).

Chinese New Year The most important event in the Chinese calendar, Chinese New Year falls in late January or early February. It is a private family festival and homes are filled with the scent of peach and plum blossoms bought for good luck. Large open-air flower markets are an annual tradition, but the event most likely to dazzle your incentive visitors is the magnificent fireworks display over the harbour, the biggest event of its kind in Asia and one of the most spectacular anywhere in the world.

Lantern Carnival The Lantern Carnival celebrates another important annual event for the Chinese family, the Mid- Autumn Festival. Colourful lanterns are bought or specially made to decorate homes, restaurants and temples all over Hong Kong. However, a sparkling mini-Lantern Carnival can be specially arranged for incentive groups at any time and could possibly be combined with a Chinese Cultural Show as part of an evening's entertainment outdoors.

Dragon Boat Festival Another important date in the Chinese calendar is Tuen Ng, or the 'Dragon Boat' Festival which occurs in late May or early June. The Dragon Boat Festival commemorates the death of a national hero, Chu Yuen, who drowned himself in protest against corrupt government in ancient China. Magnificently carved Dragon Boats flash through the water in colourful races, recalling the efforts to save the drowning Chu Yuen. Here too, the Tourist Association can arrange exhibition races for incentive planners.

Cheung Chau Festival This festival is also known as the Festival of the Bun Hills. It lasts four days during which there are religious observances, processions, Chinese opera and a fiesta-like atmosphere over the whole island. Three enormous effigies of gods dominate the festival and the climax comes on the third day when there is a big procession with many of the participants dressed in the costumes of historical or legendary figures and walking on stilts or riding on floats whilst enacting a tableau or form- ing part of a special pattern or design.

Here and there a child can be seen apparently floating on air as he acts out his part suspended from wires attached to a harness fixed firmly under his clothing.

At the end of the day, buns are distributed to the community who try to collect as many of the consecrated buns as possible to ensure good luck through- out the coming year.

Launch trips are organized for those who wish to see part of the festival and extra ferry services to the island are run by the Hongkong and Yaumati Ferry Company.