XN000022-1980-09-18 — Page 2

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 1980

CHINESE FESTIVAL TAKES HONG KONG +LIVE+ TO LONDON

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+HONG KONG IN LONDON+. A CHINESE FESTIVAL TO BE HELD IN BATTERSEA PARK THIS WEEKEND (SEPTEMBER 20-21) PROMISES TO BE ONE OF THE MOST UNUSUAL AND COLOURFUL EVENTS TO BE STAGED IN BRITAIN.

AND IT WILL CERTAINLY BE UNIQUE. VISITORS WILL BE TRANSPORTED TO THE EXOTIC WORLD OF THE ORIENT WHERE THEY CAN SAVOUR ALL ITS CHARM AND FLAVOUR IN 7.6 HECTARES OF THE PARK WHICH ARE BEING TRANSFORMED INTO A TYPICAL HONG KONG MARKET TOWN AT FESTIVAL TIME.

MORE THAN 100 ARTISTS, PERFORMERS AND CRAFTSMEN ARE BEING

THREE CHINESE FLOWN SPECIALLY FROM HONG KONG FOR THE OCCASION. DANCE TROUPES WILL GIVE DAILY PERFORMANCES ON THE MAIN STAGE OPPOSITE THE GRAND VISTA IN THE PARK, MUSICIANS, ACROBATS AND SOME OF HONG KONG'S BEST-KNOWN TELEVISION ENTERTAINERS WILL ALSO PERFORM ON STAGE DURING THE FESTIVAL WHICH OPENS EACH DAY AT 11 AM. AT LEAST FOUR ONE-HOUR VARIETY PERFORMANCES WILL BE PRESENTED ON EACH DAY OF THE FESTIVAL ON THE SPECIALLY-BUILT STAGE.

THERE WILL ALSO BE MARCHING DISPLAYS AND CONCERTS BY MILITARY BANDS ON THE TWO DAYS OF THE FESTIVAL. THE VOLUNTEER BAND OF HMS COLLINGWOOD - THE BLUE JACKETS+ - WILL PERFORM ON SATURDAY, AND THE BAND AND BUGLES OF THE BRIGADE OF GURKHAS WILL PERFORM ON SUNDAY.

TO HEIGHTEN THE ATMOSPHERE OF A CHINESE FESTIVAL, THE VARIOUS FEATURES OF THE TWO-DAY EVENT WILL TAKE PLACE AROUND Á MARKET-PLACE WHERE ALL THE HUSTLE AND BUSTLE OF HONG KONG WILL COME ALIVE.

HERE, CHINESE +DIM SUM+ (SNACKS), AND HONG KONG ARTS AND CRAFTS WILL BE ON SALE FROM ABOUT 100 PURPOSE-BUILT STALLS. A DOZEN CRAFTSMEN FROM HONG KONG WILL ALSO DEMONSTRATE THEIR TRADITIONAL SKILLS, MAKING CHINESE DOLLS FROM RICE FLOUR, NOODLES, AND A UNIQUE STYLE OF CHINESE SWEET CALLED +DRAGON'S BEARD CANDY+.

THERE WILL BE A CHINESE PALMIST, GLASSBLOWER, QUICK SKETCH ARTIST, CALLIGRAPHER, SILHOUETTE CUTTER, STROLLING MUSICIANS AND JUGGLERS TO AMUSE THE CROWDS.

ANOTHER FEATURE OF THE FESTIVAL WILL BE A PUPPET THEATRE. FOR THE FIRST TIME IN LONDON, THERE WILL BE PERFORMANCES OF CANTONESE ROD PUPPETS BY THE HAN WAH NIEN TROUPE, LED BY MAK SIU-TONG, WHO HAS BEEN A PUPPETEER FOR MORE THAN 50 YEARS.

MARTIAL ARTS IN THE FORM OF KUNG FU DEMONSTRATIONS WILL BE PRESENTED BY MEMBERS OF THE HONG KONG COMMUNITY IN BRITAIN, WHILE WEAVING AND SNAKING THEIR WAY THROUGH THE CROWDS WILL BE THE POPULAR DRAGON AND LION DANCERS - THE DRAGON BEING 24 METRES LONG.

ANOTHER NOVEL FEATURE OF THE FESTIVAL WILL BE THE INCLUSION OF AN UNICORN DANCE - RARELY SEEN IN BRITAIN. THE UNICORN, ACCORDING TO CHINESE LEGEND, IS THE GUARDIAN OF CHILDREN, AND AN AUSPICIOUS BEAST.

THE HONG