Carnivals and Entertainment Programmes
Seven large-scale carnivals were organised during the year to celebrate traditional festivals and major festive days. The New Year's Eve Countdown Carnival 2009, held in Sha Tin Park and at the Sha Tin Town Hall Plaza cum City Art Square, attracted 70 000 visitors. The large crowd was entertained by a joyful programme comprising marching band, Latin dance, Samba music and dance, and percussion and pop songs performed by local arts groups and talented young artists. In addition, energetic dancers guided the public through the world-class sculptures that embellish City Art Square. The climax of the evening came with the countdown to the New Year, followed by spectacular pyrotechnics displays on stage and around the rooftops of the Sha Tin Town Hall complex.
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The Department held large-scale Lantern Carnivals in celebration of the Mid-Autumn Festival and the Lunar New Year. The highlights of these two Lantern Carnivals were spectacular Chinese ethnic dance and traditional arts performances by Mainland Chinese performing groups from Yunnan and Heilongjiang, with sponsorship from the Office for Cultural Affairs with Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan Regions, Ministry of Culture of the People's Republic of China. In addition, large-scale thematic lantern exhibitions were held at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre Piazza during both festivals and at the West Kowloon Waterfront Promenade during the Mid-Autumn Festival, captivating locals and tourists alike.
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Funded by and in co-operation with the District Councils (DCs), 597 regular free entertainment performances were put on for audiences of all ages throughout Hong Kong, usually at weekends and during holidays. These free programmes included traditional Chinese performing arts, music, dance and family entertainment. To enhance cultural exchange between the local and Asian communities in Hong Kong, the Department organised a 'Concert in the Park' featuring Filipino artists in collaboration with the Consulate-General of the Philippines and 'Asian Ethnic Cultural Performances', which offered attendees the flavour of the nine countries and cities participating in the Hong Kong 2009 EAG. For the first time, a series of Community Thematic Carnivals were launched in Tseung Kwan O, Sham Shui Po and Tung Chung, with stage performances and participatory activities tailor-made for the community. In addition, the Youth Band Marathon continued to provide a platform for young amateur pop-rock bands to show off their talent.
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The carnivals, special events and district-wide free entertainment programmes organised by the Department in 2009-10 attracted an audience of 1 000 000.
