XN000022-1992-10-04 — Page 3

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SUNDAY, OCTOBER 4, 1992

TORONTO ENJOYS HONG KONG STYLE WEEKEND

A HONG KONG CARNIVAL, A STREET FESTIVAL IN CENTRAL CHINATOWN AND THE TAPING OF A TVB SPECTACULAR YESTERDAY (OCTOBER 3) SAW TENS OF THOUSANDS OF TORONTO RESIDENTS TAKING TO THE STREETS TO ENJOY A VIVID TASTE OF HONG KONG'S LIFESTYLE FOR THE SECOND WEEKEND IN SUCCESSION,

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BRIGHT SUNSHINE AND TEMPERATURES IN THE LOW MADE-TO-ORDER FOR FESTIVAL HONG KONG 192 ORGANISERS AND BROUGHT THAN EXPECTED CROWDS FLOCKING TO ALL OF THE FESTIVAL EVENTS.

"

WERE BIGGER

"IT'S GREAT. IT'S A SUCCESS, SAID ONE EXCITED ORGANISER, SURVEYING THE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE IN CARNIVAL MOOD STROLLING ALONG A CORDONED-OFF MAIN THOROUGHFARE IN THE HEART OF TORONTO'S CENTRAL CHINATOWN.

"WHAT IS REALLY FANTASTIC, IS THAT IT IS NOT ONLY THE CHINESE PEOPLE WHO HAVE TURNED UP, BUT THE LARGE NUMBERS OF PEOPLE FROM THE OTHER MAINSTREAMS OF THE COMMUNITY AS WELL," HE SAID. "THIS IS WHAT WE ALL HOPED FOR AND WANTED TO SEE.'

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ORGANISED BY THE OFFICE OF THE MAYOR OF TORONTO, MRS JUNE ROWLANDS,

AND THE CITY'S CHINESE BUSINESS ASSOCIATION, THE CHINATOWN FESTIVAL FEATURED DOZENS OF STREET STALLS SELLING A WIDE VARIETY OF WARES FROM DIM SUM AND LEATHER GOODS TO KUNG FU LESSONS AND COMPUTER SERVICES.

THERE WERE ALSO DEMONSTRATIONS OF SEALION DANCING, TAI CHI AND A FASHION PARADE, INTERSPERSED WITH PERFORMANCES OF CHINESE MUSIC AND DANCING.

THE ONE-DAY EVENT, JOINTLY OPENED BY MAYOR ROWLANDS AND BARONESS DUNN, NECESSITATED CLOSING AN ENTIRE CITY BLOCK TO ALL TRAFFIC, INCLUDING TRAM SERVICES

AS A MOVE WHICH WAS TAKEN BY MANY AN INDICATION OF THE SIGNIFICANCE WHICH CITY OFFICIALS HAVE GIVEN ΤΟ THE STAGING OF FESTIVAL HONG KONG '92 IN CANADA.

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EARLIER IN THE DAY, THE HONG KONG CARNIVAL WAS OPENED WITH A DAZZLING DRAGON DANCE AND CONCERT IN THE METRO-TORONTO CONVENTION CENTRE. THE TWO-DAY DISPLAY OF ARTS AND CRAFTS, COMMERCIAL SERVICES, ELECTRONIC TECHNOLOGY AND ENTERTAINMENT WAS PRESENTED BY THE CHINESE CULTURAL CENTRE OF GREATER TORONTO, WITH SPECIAL ASSISTANCE FROM THE HONG KONG TOURIST ASSOCIATION.

IN HER OPENING SPEECH,

THE HON PAULINE BROWES, METROPOLITAN TORONTO.

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ONTARIO'S MINISTER FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, SAID: "IT HAS BEEN A SPECTACULAR WEEK IN

TO HAVE HEARD, FOR

SHE SAID SHE HAD BEEN PARTICULARLY MOVED THE FIRST TIME, THE FESTIVAL HONG KONG CHILDREN'S CHORUS SINGING THE CANADIAN NATIONAL ANTHEM IN CANTONESE DURING THE MORNING'S OPENING CEREMONY.

/MRS BROWES