Carnivals and Entertainment Programmes

Seven large carnivals were organised during the year to celebrate traditional festivals and major festive days. The New Year's Eve Countdown Carnival 2010, in Sha Tin Park and at the Sha Tin Town Hall Plaza cum City Art Square, attracted 80 000 visitors. The big crowd was entertained by symphonic band performance, Latin dance, acrobatics, percussion and pop songs by local arts groups and talented young artists. Dancers guided the public through the world-class sculptures that adorn City Art Square. The evening climaxed with the New Year countdown, followed by spectacular fireworks over the Sha Tin Town Hall complex.

The New Year’s Eve Countdown Carnival 2010 at Sha Tin Park, Sha Tin Town Hall Plaza and City Art Square featured pop music, acrobatics and many other exciting shows.

The Department organised large lantern carnivals to celebrate Mid-Autumn Festival and Lunar New Year. The highlights involved spectacular ethnic dance and acrobatics performances by performing groups from Jilin and Fujian, sponsored by the Office for Cultural Affairs with Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan Regions of the Mainland Ministry of Culture. During both festivals thematic lantern exhibitions were staged at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre Piazza and, during the Mid-Autumn Festival, at the West Kowloon Waterfront Promenade, captivating scores of locals and tourists.

The 2010 Mid-Autumn Lantern Carnival at Victoria Park, with installations themed on traditional Chinese culture, was a fun-filled event.

To foster amity between locals and other ethnic Asians, the Department, in cooperation with the Consulate-General of the Philippines, organised a Concert in the Park featuring Filipino artists. Another event, themed Asian Ethnic Cultural Performances, was organised in co-operation with the Consulates-General of Nepal and Sri Lanka.

Following their successful launch in 2009-10, three Community Thematic Carnivals were held this year in Tuen Mun, Yuen Long and Tung Chung, with performances and participatory activities tailor-made for the community.

The Youth Band Marathon and Marching Band Parade continued to provide platforms for talented youth.

The Colour of Islands II － Home Sweet Home community thematic carnival combined drama, dance, music and puppets on the theme of family love.

Funded by and in co-operation with the District Councils (DCs), 619 regular free entertainment performances were offered throughout Hong Kong for audiences of all ages. Usually held on weekends and public holidays, these free programmes included traditional Chinese performing arts, music, dance and family entertainment.

In 2010-11, the Department organised a total of 645 carnivals, special events and free entertainment programmes, attracting about 870 000 people.