SUNDAY, APRIL 27, 1986
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TIN HAU PARADE IN YUEN LONG
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A GRAND PROCESSION WILL AGAIN HIGHLIGHT CELEBRATIONS IN YUEN LONG TO MARK THE TIN HAU FESTIVAL ON THURSDAY (MAY 1).
THE ANNUAL PROCESSION, FIRST HELD IN 1963, IS BEING ORGANISED BY THE SHAP PAT HEUNG RURAL COMMITTEE, AND MORE THAN 2 000 PEOPLE FROM 16 LOCAL ORGANISATIONS WILL TAKE PART.
AT 10 AM, THE PROCESSION FEATURING A DRAGON, LIONS, FLOATS, CHIU CHAU GONGS AND DRUMS, AND CHINESE FOLK DANCERS WILL SET OFF FROM FUNG CHEUNG ROAD IN YUEN LONG TOWN EAST.
THE PARADE, LASTING FOR TWO HOURS WILL WIND ALONG HOP YICK, TAI TONG, KAU YÜK AND TAI YUK ROADS BEFORE ARRIVING AT THE YUEN LONG STADIUM. THE ROUTE WILL AVOID A SECTION OF CASTLE PEAK ROAD (YUEN LONG MAIN ROAD) WHERE EXTENSIVE ROAD WORKS ARE UNDERWAY BECAUSE OF THE LIGHT RAIL TRANSIT PROJECT.
THE SECRETARY FOR DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION, MR DONALD LIAO, WILL BE GUEST OF HONOUR,
IN CONNECTION WITH THE CELEBRATIONS, A TRADITIONAL +FA PAU+ LOTTERY WILL BE HELD IN THE OPEN AREA OUTSIDE THE TIN HAU TEMPLE AT TAI SHU HA, SHAP PAT HEUNG AT 2.30 PM. OFFICIATING WILL BE YUEN LONG DISTRICT OFFICER, MR JAMES WILSON, WHO WILL PRESS A BUTTON TO BEGIN A +MINI-FIREWORKS+ DISPLAY BY THE QUEEN'S GURKHA ENGINEERS.
THE TIN HAU FESTIVAL HAS SPECIAL SIGNIFICANCE TO BOAT PEOPLE WHO PRAY TO THE GODDESS OF HEAVEN FOR FAIR WEATHER AND GOOD TIDINGS ALL YEAR ROUND. IT IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT RELIGIOUS FESTIVALS FOR YUEN LONG PEOPLE, DATING BACK TO THE 17TH CENTURY WHEN THE DISTRICT WAS A COASTAL FISHING VILLAGE.
NOTE TO EDITORS:
YOU ARE INVITED TO COVER THE TIN HAU FESTIVAL PROCESSION TO BE HELD FROM 10 AM IN YUEN LONG ON THURSDAY. PRESS BADGES FOR THE EVENT ARE AVAILABLE FOR COLLECTION FROM THE NEWS AND PUBLICITY DIVISION OF THE CNTA HEADQUARTERS, 12TH FLOOR, WORLD SHIPPING CENTRE, NO 7 CANTON ROAD, HARBOUR CITY, TSIM SHA TSUI, KOWLOON. PLEASE NOTE THAT AS PRESS BADGES ARE LIMITED, EACH ORGANISATION IS ENTITLED TO ONLY TWO BADGES.
THREE GOVERNMENT VANS WILL LEAVE KOWLOON PUBLIC PIER AT 8.30 AM ON THURSDAY TO TAKE PRESS MEMBERS TO YUEN LONG.
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