| The New Year's parade in Hong Kong is an event | | | | skyscrapers are decked out in glittering lights for |
| not to be missed! The city is dressed up with | | | | the holiday. Throughout the three-day celebration, |
| bright decorations andcolorful lights for its biggest | | | | dancers in colorful costumes perform lion and |
| celebration of the year, and thousands pour into | | | | dragon dances in the streets, malls and hotel |
| Hong Kong to take part in the festivities. | | | | lobbies. Traditionally, people exchange small, red |
| Winding along Hong Kong's picturesque waterfront, | | | | envelopes filled with money as gifts. Flower |
| the New Year's parade is filled with colorful, | | | | markets show up all over the city during the |
| lavishly decoratedfloats. Representatives from | | | | holiday, selling plants and flowers with special |
| Hong Kong and countries all over the world sing, | | | | significance, and stores and restaurants display |
| dance and play music. The songs of marching | | | | flowers meant to bring immortality and good luck. |
| bands fill the air along the parade's route as | | | | The New Year celebration usually begins |
| performers in bright costumes prance along the | | | | anywhere from January 21 to February 19, |
| streets. | | | | depending on the year. While the holiday officially |
| The forthcoming year (2006) is the Year of the | | | | lasts fifteen days, in Hong Kong it is celebrated |
| Dog. No matter which zodiac animal is being | | | | for three days, with the New Year's parade |
| celebrated for the coming year, there are always | | | | taking place on the first day. January 29, 2006 is |
| plenty of lions and dragons in the parade. | | | | the first day of the forthcoming new year. |
| Energetic dancers wearing giant lion heads leap in | | | | The day after the New Year's parade a brilliant |
| the air as long dragons held aloft by more than | | | | display of fireworks lights up Hong Kong's famous |
| twenty people snake past the enthralled parade | | | | Victoria Harbour. |
| watchers. | | | | The fireworks can be viewed from the |
| The New Year's parade is the biggest event of | | | | waterfront or from boats cruising the harbour. On |
| Hong Kong's Lunar New Year celebration. Close to | | | | the third day of the celebrationa large horse race |
| 300,000 people attend the parade and millions | | | | takes place at the Sha Tin racetrack. This lively |
| more watch it on television. In recent years the | | | | race is a favorite for gamblers and |
| parade has taken place in the evening, featuring | | | | horseracingenthusiasts. |
| vivid, dazzling light displays. | | | | It's no wonder why so many travel to discover all |
| The Lunar New Year is one of Hong Kong's most | | | | that Hong Kong has to offer, with the vibrant |
| important and well-loved holidays. Each year one | | | | fusion of ancient customsand modern day fun at |
| of twelve differentanimals is celebrated, according | | | | one of the world's biggest Chinese New Year |
| to the Chinese zodiac. Many of the city's towering | | | | celebrations. |