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SATURDAY, JULY 19, 1986
AMONG THE CROWD OF MORE THAN 4 000 THAT EDGED CLOSER TO THE VIEWING STAND TO HEAR THE GOVERNOR SPEAK WERE MANY FORMER HONG KONG RESIDENTS.
THE YOUNGER AUDIENCE GAVE A FINE WELCOME TO SINGER FRANCES YIP WHO SOON GOT THE CROWD CLAPPING AND TAPPING TO THE UP-BEAT MUSIC. SHE ALTERNATED HER SONGS IN BOTH CANTONESE AND ENGLISH TO THE DELIGHT OF ALL.
AFTER THE OPENING CEREMONY, SIR EDWARD TOURED THE BRITISH COLUMBIA PAVILION AND ATTENDED A LUNCH HOSTED BY COMMISSIONER REID.
AS THE CROWDS DISPERSED AFTER THE ENTERTAINING SHOW, MANY BEGAN HEADING FOR THE MARINE PLAZA, JUST OUTSIDE THE HONG KONG PAVILION, TO GET A GOOD VIEW OF THE DRAGON BOAT RACES.
SIR EDWARD, WHO ALSO TURNED UP AFTER LUNCH, APPEARED TO BE ENJOYING HIMSELF. BOTH HE AND LADY YOUDE APPLAUDED AND CHEERED WHEN THE FINISHING LINE WAS CROSSED BY THE MANY BOATS THAT TOOK PART IN THE RACES.
WINNER OF THE FIRST HEAT WAS ALBERTA PROVINCE FOR THE HONG KONG PAVILION CUP, WHILE YELLOW SUBMARINE WON THE HONG KONG DAY CUP.
THE HONG KONG CUP, WON BY THE FALSE CREEK RACING ROWING CLUB IN THE JUNE INTERNATIONAL RACES, WAS ALSO PRESENTED BY THE GOVERNOR.
UP UNTIL FRIDAY NEARLY 600 000 VISITORS HAVE SEEN THE NINE- MINUTE SHOW IN THE HONG KONG PAVILION WHICH DEPICTS NEARLY EVERY ASPECT OF HONG KONG LIFE.
THE FIVE PUPILS FROM ST. CATHERINE'S SCHOOL FOR GIRLS, WHO HAD WON A POSTCARD DESIGN COMPETITION IN HONG KONG, WERE STILL DRAWING CROWDS WITH THEIR ON-THE-SPOT SKETCHING AS WAS CARTOONIST BILL YIM.
A DAZZLING VARIETY OF PERFORMANCES ENDED THE COLOURFUL EVENING GALA AT THE XEROX INTERNATIONAL THEATRE.
STARS FROM TVB, ATV AND RTHK PUT ON AN ONE-HOUR SHOW IN THE THEATRE WHICH WAS PACKED SOLID WITH MORE THAN 1 500 SEATED IN THE AUDIENCE.
HOWEVER, OUTSIDE THE THEATRE ON THE SURROUNDING GROUNDS AND ANY AVAILABLE HIGH SPOTS, AN ESTIMATED FOUR THOUSAND PEOPLE CRANED THEIR NECKS TO GET A LOOK AT THEIR FAVOURITE STARS. THE AUDIENCE WAS PREDOMINANTLY CHINESE AND THEY HOWLED WITH DELIGHT AT EVERY SONG AND JOKE PASSED ON THE STAGE.
THE GOVERNOR AND LADY YOUDE SEEMED MORE RELAXED AND ENJOYED THE EVENING. THE ROYAL HONG KONG POLICE BAND AND ITS PIPERS WERE ALSO A FAVOURITE.
EXPO OFFICIALS SAID THAT THE HONG KONG DAY SHOW HAD DRAWN ONE OF THE LARGEST CROWDS EVER.
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