he year 1969 was one of progress and prosperity in Hong Kong and it was fittingly climaxed in an outburst of gaiety which marked the first Festival of Hong Kong. The object of the Festival was simply to provide a week of en- joyment and pageantry for the people of Hong Kong. The programme included many musical and sporting events, exhibitions, youth rallies and special displays. These included a full-scale military tattoo, an open air fiesta in the streets and open areas of the city centre and a massive parade through the streets of Kowloon, which attracted an estimated 500,000 spectators. (The previous page shows a scene from the parade while the picture opposite depicts a highlight of one of the well-attended youth rallies.)
The following pages illustrate some of the myriad events, great and small, which went towards making 1969 a good year for the people of Hong Kong.