Hongkong celebrates the Year of the Rat
As the Year of the Rat kicks off a new 12-year cycle, the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) is going to celebrate Chinese New Year in a brand new way with the “Cathay Pacific International Chinese New Year Carnival.”
Rather than simply staging the night parade on the first day of Chinese New Year, a carnival will run from Jan. 25 to 28 of the Year of the Rat at the Art Park of the West Kowloon Cultural District.
In addition to the signature parade, the event will feature a variety of family-friendly elements for people to kick off an auspicious new year with their loved ones.
HKTB chairman YK Pang said, “The HKTB has been staging its Chinese New Year event for nearly a quarter of a century to spread happiness across the city. This year being the Year of the Rat, the leader of the 12 Chinese zodiac signs, it is not only the beginning of a new cycle, but also marks the staging of the 25th edition of this signature event. This provides the perfect opportunity to celebrate the much-loved festival in a new way. While enjoying the carnival, we hope the people of Hong Kong will share the festivities with their families and friends living abroad. We will also certainly show to visitors from around the world with our fun, vibrant celebrations that Hong Kong remains an open and welcoming travel destination.”
Cathay Pacific chief customer and commercial officer Ronald Lam said, “As the home carrier of Hong Kong, Cathay Pacific has always sought to promote and showcase our home hub as much as possible, while also playing our part to help develop Hong Kong into a truly international city. We are delighted to once again be sponsoring this fabulous event for the 22nd year in a row as we celebrate the Chinese New Year. We hope that both the people of Hong Kong and visitors from all over the world will enjoy this spectacular carnival, and experience the rich and vibrant festive culture of this city.”
The four-day International Chinese New Year Carnival is free to all. Both international and local performing groups will join the daily parades along the West Kowloon Waterfront Promenade. Even if you miss the parades, you can enjoy their stage performances from day to night.
This year’s carnival features the greatest number of international performing troupes in the event’s history, with 26 international performing groups and 22 local teams, totalling over a thousand performers.
NBC World of Dance and HHI PH Varsity champions UPeepz and VPeepz from the Philippines are set to steal the spotlight with their dynamic hip hop dance moves.
Aside from enjoying the performances, visitors can take plenty of photos against various backdrops incorporating Hong Kong’s skyline, which is especially mesmerizing during sunset.
The first Chinese New Year market will feature 15 booths serving food from around the world and fun workshops on balloon twisting and face painting for children.
The exciting programs, along with the family-friendly activities, will guarantee festival-goers a great time when they join the event.
For more information, visit www.DiscoverHongKong.com/ChineseNewYear.
