Hong Kong Dragon soars at OzAsia (with photos)

     A colourful 40-metre-long Hong Kong Dragon illuminated Elder Park in Adelaide, Australia during the Moon Lantern Parade of the OzAsia Festival on October 19 (Adelaide time).

     The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, Sydney (HKETO, Sydney) has again participated in the OzAsia Festival – one of Australia's leading international arts festivals held in the city of Adelaide.

     HKETO, Sydney supported the event organiser, the Adelaide Festival Centre, in bringing the Hong Kong Dragon to the Moon Lantern Parade. Through this fabulous dragon, the HKETO, Sydney demonstrated to an Australian audience the vibrancy of Hong Kong as an international cultural metropolis grounded in Chinese traditions.

     Speaking at a reception before the Moon Lantern Parade, the Director of the HKETO, Sydney, Mr Raymond Fan, said the HKETO, Sydney's continued support for the OzAsia Festival demonstrates Hong Kong's ongoing commitment to strengthening the cultural ties between the two places in tandem with their long-standing trade, investment, education and people-to-people links.

     "The HKETO, Sydney has been supporting the OzAsia Festival since 2009. The event this year again provided a good opportunity to showcase our culture to an Australian audience, such as this amazing parade as well as other programmes with a Hong Kong presence," he said. 

     "A vibrant melting pot of cultures, Hong Kong boasts many museums, concert halls and performance venues as well as a vast array of cultural events from around the world. The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government actively supports the development of culture, arts and various other cultural projects to be completed over the next few years.

     "The West Kowloon Cultural District, now rapidly taking shape, is one of the largest cultural projects in the world and will boast two world-class museums. The Xiqu Centre, dedicated to preserving and promoting the art of xiqu (Chinese opera), opened in January this year, while the Art Park has been opening in phases since 2018. Freespace, which opened in mid-2019, presents a brand new arts experience for audiences through its wide range of multi-genre performances and events," he said.

     Other interesting Hong Kong experiences brought to the festival by the HKETO, Sydney included a branded Hong Kong Dragon Bar, an interactive photo site featuring the Tai Hang Fire Dragon Dance, and face-painting activities with Hong Kong characteristics.

     The OzAsia Festival, presented by Adelaide Festival Centre, is Australia's leading international arts festival engaging with Asia. Event programmes this year include contemporary dance, theatre, music, visual art, film, literature, workshops, talks and more from across Asia. The attendee numbers of the OzAsia Festival last year reached 200 000 across a total of 60 events.

     Details of the programmes are available from www.ozasiafestival.com.au.