Bangkok--10 May--Francom Asia
HONGKONG : A WORLD OF CELEBRATIONS FESTIVE HONGKONG 2010 Promises Visitors An Unforgettable Cultural Experience
Hong Kong, Asia’s leading tourist destination, proudly launches the “FESTIVE HONG KONG 2010, an exciting year-long sequence of festivals and events that offers visitors a diverse assortment of unique traditional Chinese festivals and Western cultural celebrations. A visit to this vibrant city at anytime of the year promises an enriching and unforgettable experience.
Fabulous festivals, feasts, sport, art and cultural activities will be tied up with irresistible promotions and mega events to make the trip to the City of Life a successful and memorable one. Both first-time tourists and repeat visitors will be awed by the unique cultural fusion, fascinating heritage and colorful living culture that can be found only in Hong Kong.
Festive Hong Kong is not just one event. It is a continuous flow of not-to-be missed happenings and opportunities, allowing a peek into its rich heritage. For example, during the month of May, the world-famous Cheung Chau Bun Festival will draw both local and overseas tourists to watch the fantastic parade of children dressed up as mythological Chinese characters, and a bun tower scrambling competition to grab the lucky buns. There is also the celebration of the birthday of Lord Buddha on May 21, a day celebrated with great reverence. Devotees will be invited to bathe small statues of the Buddha in a solemn affair at the Po Lin Monastery on Lantau Island, home of the Giant Buddha.
From June to August, the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) proposes the Summer Spectacular, a mega-event to make Hong Kong a hot destination attracting hordes of tourists with a host of fantastic offers and activities. The Dragon Boat Festival on June 16 commemorates an event over 2,000 years ago, when Qu Yuan, a much-revered local official and poet, threw himself into the Milo River and drowned to protest against government inefficiencies. As always, in this gastronomic capital of Asia, culinary delights will also be on the list of highlights. The city’s famous food districts will indulge visitors every culinary whim.
Later on in the year, Halloween fans will be able to join the street parties and “dressed up’ attractions, as well as the Mid-Autumn Festival when families head outdoors at night to gaze at the moon and munch on moon cakes. And the list of different cultural facets goes on...
November would be the perfect opportunity for food and wine lovers to indulge their taste buds in a fantastic selection of award-winning cuisines and to drink some great wines. The Hong Kong Wine and Dine Festival from Oct 28 to 31 will be full of fun-filled activities too, featuring live entertainment such as jazz, singing, dancing and more. This is a must-attend for anyone who loves great food and drink.
The Hong Kong Winterfest in December is always on the list of kids and kids-at-heart because the City of Light celebrates the holiday season in grand style. Locals and foreign visitors alike are always spellbound by the fantastic seasonal illuminations. The New Year countdown organized by the HKTB since 2007 is a spectacular event that will be remembered for a long time, featuring pyrotechnics displays involving the city’s tallest building and other nearby skyscrapers.
This is followed closely by the Chinese New Year Celebrations - a great time to visit Hong Kong because it offers the most colorful celebrations on the planet. With parade floats, cultural performances, vibrant flower markets, New Year fireworks display, lantern carnivals, etc. the party atmosphere reigns during this entire period.
And of course, food is an integral part of a visit to Hong Kong. Restaurants offer special packages to celebrate different occasions, so visitors can taste the culture through typical foods and dishes. And for shopaholics? Who has not heard of the most popular sales in the region, offering the best prices, deals and promotions for everything money can buy — from designer brand fashion to locally-crafted souvenir items. The big department stores and shopping malls go all out to tempt the most ardent bargain shoppers.
The whole year round, there are hundred of excellent excuses to come to this wonderful city. Festive Hong Kong 2010 proposes a series of non-stop fun and delight for visitors who want more than an enjoyable trip; they will get an amazing journey that will be remembered for a long time.
For more information, please visit www.FestiveHongKong2010.com
Mark your calendars for the following highlights:
Cultural Celebrations May Birthday of Ting Hau
Cheung Chao Bun Festival
Birthday of Lord Buddha
Hong Kong Summer Spectacular June-August 2010 Dragon Boat Festival
Sensational Summer Sales
Fantastic Food District Offers
Summer Pop — Live in HK Concert
Hong Kong Halloween Treats September-October 2010 Halloween-Themed Events
Street Parties (Lan Kwai Fong, Soho)
Mid-Autumn Lantern Festival
Wine and Dine Month November 2010 Wine and Dine Festival Launch
International Wine and Spirits Fair
Hong Kong Winterfest December 2010 Christmas Events
New Year Countdown
Illuminations on Victoria Harbour
Chinese New Year Celebrations January-February 2011 Lunar New Year Fireworks Display
Cathay Pacific International New Year Parade
Lunar New Year Fairs
Ms Wandee Lerdsupongkit Tel: 02233 4329/30 Fax: 02236 8030
E-mail:
[email protected] www.discoverhongkong.com