HONG KONG – Hong Kong will mark the Year of the Horse with a fireworks display over Victoria Harbour on Feb 18, marking the second day of the Chinese New Year.
With the theme "Prosperity gallops across Hong Kong", a total of 31,888 firing shells will be launched over approximately 23 minutes, starting at 8 pm. It has been structured in eight scenes, each symbolizing wishes for prosperity, harmony, and good fortune.
Spectators can expect a dazzling array of fireworks, including designs that mimic galloping horses, golden ingot patterns, and the Chinese character meaning "good fortune".
Flower markets
Starting from Feb 11, a total of 14 flower markets set up across Hong Kong are offering perishable goods, such as festive flowers and plants, as well as dry goods and fast food to celebrate the Year of the Horse.
Approximately 1,500 stalls have been set up, and technological measures have been deployed to monitor crowd flows at each market until the event ends on Feb 17.
Real-time crowd information are being displayed on the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department’s website using a traffic light system – red for very crowded conditions and green for lighter crowds.
Celebratory parade
Macao’s Parade for Celebration of the Year of the Horse will run from Feb 19 to March 8. The event will bring together approximately 1,300 performers from Macao, Hong Kong, the Chinese mainland, Portugal, Spain, Italy, the Philippines, and South Korea, along with 17 elaborately designed floats.
The celebrations will include float parades, cultural performances, float exhibitions, and interactive online games, with the first float parade taking place at Sai Van Lake Square on Feb 19. Decorative lighting on the floats will be switched on nightly from 5 pm to 10 pm.
The local tourism office will host a community roadshow and stage a spectacular show featuring 3,888 drones and fireworks to celebrate the arrival of the Chinese New Year.
Cantonese temple fair
A large Cantonese-culture-themed temple fair – integrating performances, shopping, games, and art – will be held in Zhaoqing from Feb 27 to March 3, the day of the Lantern Festival.
The temple fair will feature six themed sections, including technology, food, and Song Dynasty (960-1279) culture, and its main venue, the east gate square of the local scenic landmark Seven Star Crags, will be decorated with 10 immersive scenes blending tradition with modernity.
Spending boost
The Shenzhen authorities will allocate nearly 800 million yuan ($115.8 million) in a series of pro-consumer policies to boost spending during the Chinese New Year holiday, which will begin on Sunday and run until Feb 23.
Local officials have announced that over 600 million yuan will be dedicated to supporting residents in replacing old goods with new ones citywide. Separately, more than 70 million yuan will be invested to launch a receipt lottery campaign, offering consumers a chance to win prizes after invoiced purchases.
Nearly 300 promotional events will be organized during the holiday period, featuring discounts and red envelopes through partnerships with banks, online platforms, and merchants.
