The Hong Kong Dragon Boat Carnival relocates to Central with the biggest bash
by Shrutee K/DNS
This year, the Hong Kong Dragon Boat Carnival
returns on June 10 to 12 at a new venue – the Central Harbourfront. Organised
by the Hong Kong China Dragon Boat Association (HKCDBA), with support from co-organiser the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) and sponsored by the Mega Events
Fund (MEF), the ever-evolving
Carnival will see better and more eventful festivities than ever.
Celebrating its 40th
anniversary, the iconic Hong Kong International Dragon Boat Races will feature some exciting new categories for
paddlers from around the globe to compete in. In addition to enjoying the adrenaline-pumping
races, the audience can try their hands at the CCB (Asia) Row for Charity race for a great cause, benefiting the Arts with the Disabled Association Hong
Kong (ADAHK). The well-loved San Miguel BeerFest will be back to keep guests
entertained and hydrated, while the debut of the Family Zone guarantees a great weekend out for young and old alike.
Sir Wayne Leung, HKTB Board
Member and Chairman of the Product and Event Committee, said: “In addition to moving
to a brand-new venue, the
Hong Kong Dragon Boat Carnival will be further enhanced by special races to commemorate
the 40th anniversary of the first Hong
Kong International Dragon Boat Races. There will also
be an improved entertainment line-up, including a new fun-filled Family Zone, to make sure it is a carnival for all ages. On behalf of
the HKTB, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to all the sponsors and supporting organisations for their
continued support over the years. The China Construction Bank (Asia) (CCB
(Asia)) and San Miguel Brewery Hong Kong Limited (San Miguel), in particular, deserve special credit for their
unparalleled effort to improve the Carnival year after year with a wide range
of exciting enhancements.” Dr
Raymond Ma, Chairman of the HKCDBA, said: “The Hong
Kong International Dragon Boat Races are the oldest event in the history of modern
dragon boat racing, attracting a flock of world-class teams to the city every year. This
year, around 4,000 athletes from 14 countries and regions will compete for a
total of 24 championships. The first-ever ‘Hong Kong Trophy’ race will see top
teams from all over the globe, including the teams which put on an
extraordinary performance at the recent IDBF Club Crew World Championships in Australia,
fighting for glory at the world-famous Victoria Harbour.”
CCB (Asia) is again the
title sponsor of the CCB (Asia) Hong Kong
International Dragon Boat Races, which is recognised as an “M” Mark Event by the Major Sports Events
Committee. Mr Jiang Xianzhou, Executive Director & Alternate Chief
Executive of CCB (Asia), said: “This year marks CCB (Asia)’s fourth year
as the title sponsor of the CCB (Asia) Hong Kong International Dragon Boat
Races. In addition to sending our dragon boat team to participate in the
exciting races, we will continue to organise the Row for Charity race, a
fund-raising activity for the ADAHK. CCB (Asia) highly encourages the general
public to support and participate in this activity, making the Dragon Boat
Carnival even more meaningful. In addition, as in the past two years, we
appointed various artists from ADAHK to craft a new design for the CCB
(Asia) Dragon Boat Display and Drums Parade, which will debut at Central
Harbourfront during the Carnival and later be showcased at the CCB Centre. We
wish to raise more public attention and admiration for the talent of artists
with disabilities.” This year, the
Hong Kong Dragon Boat Carnival is supported by the MEF again. Ms Emily
Mo, Secretary of MEF Assessment Committee cum Assistant Commissioner for
Tourism, said: “We welcome the staging of the Hong Kong Dragon Boat Carnival in
the Victoria Harbour again. With the support of the MEF, this event will
be staged at the Central Harbour front for the first time with new elements such
as the Hong Kong Trophy and Family Zone in addition to the Hong Kong
International Dragon Boat Races and the BeerFest. We hope this mega event
will continue to attract the participation of visitors and local residents,
further raise the international profile of Hong Kong and reinforce our position
as the events capital of Asia.”
The seven programme highlights of the Hong Kong Dragon Boat Carnival include:
Battles
on the sea: The CCB (Asia) Hong Kong International Dragon Boat Races will take place on a course
that starts at the Central Harbourfront, where paddlers will
show off their strength, skill, speed and teamwork to an equally international group
of spectators.
Ÿ Fancy Dress Race: Participants
will wow the audience with their unique outfits at the Fancy Dress Race held on
12 June and add to the festive
atmosphere of the dragon boat races.
Ÿ
Trendy
check-in hotspots: The
CCB (Asia) has commissioned the ADAHK to craft a new
design for the CCB (Asia) Dragon Boat Display and Drums Parade. Featuring
an 11-metre-long dragon boat and drums, the Parade will be a selfie hotspot not
to be missed. Together with the San Miguel Beer Bottle Dragon Boat Photo Zone
and San
Miguel Mini Cart Game at the San Miguel BeerFest, there will
be great fun for all.
Ÿ
Music
party: Local
and international singers and DJs
will grace the stage at the San Miguel BeerFest.
Ÿ
Brand
new Family Zone: An array of interactive games and
activities such as giant inflatable and mini rowing facilities are available
for free.
Ÿ
Roving
performances: Acrobatic clowns, marching bands, drummers and
samba dancers will take turns to push the
party vibe.
Ÿ
Row
for Charity: Visitors and local residents
can support the
ADAHK by joining the CCB (Asia) Row for Charity race.
Date
|
10-12
June 2016 (Friday to Sunday)
|
Programme Highlights & Schedule
|
Ÿ
CCB (Asia) Hong Kong International Dragon Boat Races:
10 June
(Friday) – 12pm to 5:30pm
11 June
(Saturday) – 8:30am to 5:30pm
12 June
(Sunday) – 8:30am to 5:30pm
Ÿ
San
Miguel BeerFest:
10-11 June
(Friday and Saturday) – 11am to 10:30pm
12 June
(Sunday) – 11am to 9:30pm
Ÿ Family Zone:
10 June
(Friday) – 11am to 5:30pm
11 June
(Saturday) – 11am to 5:30pm
12 June
(Sunday) – 11am to 5:30pm
|
Venue
|
Central Harbourfront (The course runs from
Central Pier No. 10 to near Citic Tower)
|
Admission
|
Free
|
Details
|
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