CITY OF LIFE'S JUNE RECOMMENDATION: TAI PO DISTRICT

To mark the occasion, the officiating guests made good use of Lam Tsuen's famous Wishing Trees to seek their joint good wishes for Hong Kong's tourism industry, its overall economy and the success of the "Recommendation of the Month - Tai Po".

Speaking at the ceremony, District Officer (Tai Po), Mr Lui Kin-fun said that apart from attracting tourists and Hong Kong residents to visit Tai Po District, the various tourism promotion programmes in June were aimed at creating new business opportunities and boosting the economy of the local community.
"At the same time, we hope that our publicity programme will promote a better and wider public understanding of Tai Po District and help foster a greater sense of belonging among residents, both within the district and in Hong Kong as a whole," Mr Lui said.

"Given the economic downturn in the past few years, many of us have been under a lot of stress at work and in our daily lives," he added. "It is our sincere hope that our varied and colourful festive programmes and activities will bring more joy and laughter back into the lives of Tai Po and Hong Kong residents, and help restore their confidence both in themselves and in the future of Hong Kong."

Tai Po District Council Chairman, Mr Cheung Hok-ming noted that Tai Po offered a wide range of attractions for visitors. "To strengthen promotion of these resources, the Tai Po District Council has earmarked HK$800,000 for organising various activities during the 'Recommendation of the Month'," he said. "With a view to adding extra colour and festivity, the Council has also approved funding of HK$750,000 to provide sponsorship for this year's dragon boat races."
After the wish-making session, a group of local residents presented a "boat riding on land" performance - a re-enactment of a wedding ceremony performed among fishermen in the olden days.

Moving oars as if they were rowing in water, the performers re-created a scene from a bygone era when village women in traditional costumes, to the sound of clamorous music and accompanied by Chinese unicorn dances, travelled on boats to pick up the bride. The ceremony was later adapted to take place on land after many fisherfolk began living onshore.

Erected to commemorate the 1997 Handover, the Lookout Tower at Tai Po Waterfront Park has become a local landmark and has been chosen by the Home Affairs Department and the Tai Po District Council as the main featured attraction for the month-long tourism promotion.

Visitors can enjoy panoramic views of the area and Tolo Harbour from the upper levels of the tower, which commemorates Tai Po's history from the time the New Territories were leased to the British until their return to China 99 years later. An inscription relating how the tower came into being can also be found. Other famous attractions in the district include the islands of Tap Mun and Tung Ping Chau.

To tie in with the "Recommendation of the Month", a welcome arch will be erected at Tai Ming Lane Square. A wide range of exciting programmes, including acrobatics and magic shows, folk dancing, arts and crafts and snack stalls will be on offer at three art fairs held by the Tai Po District Council on 9, 15 and 22 June. The "boat riding on land" re-enactment will also be featured at the carnival on 22 June, which takes place at Lam Tsuen.

For those keen on sporting excitement, heart-stopping dragon boat races held on the waters near Tai Po Waterfront Park can be enjoyed on the morning of the Dragon Boat (Tuen Ng) Festival on 15 June.

Tai Po's rich heritage can also be explored on dry land. Every weekend in June, a free Tai Po Half-Day Tour Shuttle Bus Service will operate with young ambassadors introducing the rich cultural background of various tourist attractions in and around the town. These include the Lookout Tower, the Lam Tsuen Wishing Trees, the heritage award-winning King Law Ka Shuk Ancestral Hall, the Hong Kong Railway Museum and the Man Mo Temple. An English-language guided tour will be offered on Sundays, with information presented by an ambassador on board the bus.

Published by the Tai Po District Council, a "Shopping and Dining Guide to Tai Po" will feature special offers. Copies can be obtained from the HKTB's Visitor Information and Services Centres.

Since September 2001, each of Hong Kong's 18 districts has been taking its turn to promote its attractions as the "Recommendation of the Month", part of the City of Life: Hong Kong is it! campaign.

The campaign is organised by the HKTB in co-operation with the Hong Kong SAR Government's Home Affairs Department, the Leisure and Cultural Services Department and the Tourism Commission, with the support of the 18 District Councils and with The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust as Principal Sponsor.

HIGHLIGHTS

1. Recommended Attraction: Lookout Tower at Tai Po Waterfront Park

· Erected to commemorate the 1997 Handover, the Lookout Tower in Tai Po Waterfront Park has become a local landmark.

· Visitors can enjoy panoramic views of the area, including Tolo Harbour, from the upper levels.

· The Tower commemorates Tai Po's history, from the time the New Territories was leased to the British to its return to China.

· An inscription notes how it came into being.

2. District Festivals and Events

Chinese Cultural Arts Fairs and Carnivals

· "Leisure Shopping and Dining at Four Lanes" Arts Fair - The "Four Lanes" area covering Tai Ming Lane, Kwong Fuk Lane, Tai Wing Lane and Tai Kwong Lane, is a fascinating cluster of local shops and eating places where one can revisit the town's history as a busy market centre. While wandering through "Four Lanes", visitors can see exciting programmes such as acrobatics and magic shows, grasshopper weaving, English name wiring, rainbow calligraphy, silhouette cutting, flour doll and windmill-making.

Date: 9 June 2002 (Sunday)
Time: 12:00 noon to 5:00 pm
Venue: "Four Lanes" and Tai Ming Lane Square, Tai Po Market

· "Let's Celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival Together" Carnival - An event not to be missed featuring folk dancing, a Chinese orchestra, acrobatics and a magic show. There are also traditional Chinese arts and crafts, such as magic wiring, masks, paper folding, windmills, wristband knitting, cartoon sketching, fingernail drawing, and snack stalls selling popcorn, dragon beard candy and sticky rice dumplings. The carnival will be a relaxing way to wind down after all the frenzied excitement of the Tai Po Dragon Boat races.

Date: 15 June 2002 (Saturday)
Time: 1:30 pm to 4:30 pm

Venue: Amphitheatre and Lookout Tower, Tai Po Waterfront Park

· "Wish-making in Tai Po" Carnival - This carnival features lion and dragon dances and acrobatic performances, as well as a re-enactment of the traditional boat people's wedding ceremony, one of the highlights of which is a performance of "boat riding on land". Various arts and crafts and snack stalls include English name wiring, rainbow calligraphy, silhouette cutting, cartoon sketching, popcorn, cotton candy, dragon beard candy, sticky rice dumplings and malt sugar confectionery.

Date: 22 June 2002 (Saturday)
Time: 2:00 pm to 4:30 pm
Venue: Lam Tsuen Wishing Trees

Tai Po Dragon Boat Race 2002

Every year during the Tuen Ng Festival, many places in Hong Kong stage their own Dragon Boat races. The Tai Po races will be held in the morning.

Date: 15 June 2002 (Saturday)
Time: 8:30 am to 12:30 pm 
Venue: Waters off Tai Po Waterfront Park

"Shopping and Dining Guide to Tai Po"

Published by the Tai Po District Council, the "Shopping and Dining Guide to Tai Po" features special offers by shops and restaurants in Tai Po during the month of June. Visitors can obtain a copy from the HKTB's Visitor Information and Services Centres.

3. Tai Po Half-Day Tour Shuttle Bus Service (Cantonese)

Tai Po District Council will provide a Tai Po Half-Day Tour Shuttle Bus Service in June, with young volunteers acting as ambassadors introducing the rich cultural heritage of the district and the backgrounds to a number of interesting tourist attractions in Tai Po, including the Lookout Tower at Tai Po Waterfront Park, the Lam Tsuen Wishing Trees, King Law Ka Shuk Ancestral Hall, Hong Kong Railway Museum and the Man Mo Temple.

Date: Saturdays and Sundays in June 2002
Bus schedule: Departs every 30 minutes from KCR Tai Po Market station between 9:30 am and 4:00 pm

Tour service: Upon arrival at each attraction, on-site ambassadors will introduce the attraction to visitors in Cantonese.

Admission: Free, on a first-come-first-served basis. Please assemble and board the shuttle bus at KCR Tai Po Market station.

English Guided Tour Service
Date: 2,9,16,23,30 June (Sundays)
Time: 2:30 pm

Tour Service: Participants should assemble at KCR Tai Po Market station, where a shuttle bus will tour the attractions before returning to the station. An ambassador on board the bus will introduce in English the various attractions to passengers throughout the journey.

Admission: Free. Visitors can obtain admission tickets from the HKTB's Visitor Information & Service Centres in Central and in Tsim Sha Tsui. Each tour bus takes 23 passengers. 

4. On-site Decorations·  "Welcome Arch", erected at Tai Ming Lane Square.