Lunar New Year 2012: Lantern Festival Concludes New Year Celebrations in Hong Kong

Hong Kong – Crowds thronged to the Hong Kong waterfront for the farewell festivities marking the end of the 15- day Lunar New Year celebrations where they marvelled at a show featuring folk performances from across China.

Throat-singers from Inner Mongolia kicked off the event on February 6 with a khoomei (or xöömei) performance.

“I haven’t seen any Mongolian performances until now in my life. I guess the Chinese government has given financial and cultural assistance so that such as possible,” said Michael, a 28-year-old Hong Kong resident, who declined to give his full name.

Huge lantern installations flanked the stage where traditional folk arts troupes performed age-old rites. Lion dancing, Cantonese opera, dough- and paper-figurine making and fortune-telling booths entertained visitors.

The Chinese new year festival runs from the first day of the first month in the Chinese calendar and ends 15 days later with the full moon. The last day is marked with a lantern festival though few people outside rural areas still observe the custom of parading through the streets with lanterns and lighting candles outside their houses.