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Leopold Chen

Harvey Kong

Thousands of excited Hongkongers and visitors lined the streets of Causeway Bay to watch an expanded fire dragon dance on Tuesday evening while others thronged the Wan Chai waterfront for the city’s first drone show to mark the Mid-Autumn Festival, the hottest on record.
The Observatory logged a temperature of 35.7 degrees Celsius (96.3 Fahrenheit) at its Tsim Sha Tsui headquarters at 3pm, the hottest Mid-Autumn Festival since records began in 1884.


In Tai Hang, the fire dragon showed up on Wun Sha Street at around 8.15pm, accompanied by smoke and smells given off from the burning incense sticks that formed the mesmerising creature.
Spectators cheered and rushed to take photos with their phones as the 67-metre fire dragon danced past them.
“The heat is torturous, but it’s worth it,” said a dining-sector worker surnamed Wu who had been waiting since 5pm. “I look forward to the happy vibe of Mid-Autumn.”
Jiangsu province tourist Chen Xi shared similar thoughts, adding that she learned about the event on social media.
“I saw footage online and I thought it was impressive. I have high expectations for it,” said the accounting worker, who had waited since 5.30pm

The performance area was expanded westwards compared with last year’s event to include blocks from Lai Yin Street to Warren Street.
Sammy Cho, an estate management worker, was one of many spectators who enjoyed the spectacle.
“The vibe is very nice. The smell, noise and smoke are fine for me. That is where the atmosphere lies after all,” Cho said.
“Expanding the area is a good move, as it can allow more people to participate.”

Another spectator, Coco Ng, who lives in Kwai Chung, also appreciated the expansion.
“The government must keep this activity. It may also bring in more tourists,” said Ng, a regular at the event for many years.
One hundred children also danced with another dragon made of 10,000 LED lights.
But heavy rain later in the evening caught many spectators off guard, thinning out the crowds. The Hong Kong Observatory issued an amber rainstorm alert at 9.50pm but the fire dragon dance continued in Victoria Park at night.
The Mid-Autumn Festival is a traditional Chinese holiday held on the 15th day of the eighth month in the lunar calendar.

Over at the Wan Chai harbourfront, 1,000 drones illuminated the night sky at 8pm with patterns of rabbits, traditional lanterns and fire dragons – the first such show to be held in the city for the festival.
Drone patterns resembled traditional festive motifs, including mooncakes, lanterns and the pet of moon goddess Chang’e in Chinese mythology, the Jade Rabbit.
Many spectators recorded the display with their phones, reacting as the drones shifted between each pattern.
Finance sector worker Sandy Chau, 49, said the Jade Rabbit pushing a mooncake was her favourite part of the display.
“The moon was also there, so we could see both things at the same time. It was like the rabbit was pushing the mooncake towards the moon,” she said.

Chau said she hoped authorities would consider spacing out such events, holding them only during big holidays to keep them fresh.
Teacher Ada Cheng, 40, who enjoyed the show with her daughter, said it was worthwhile. “The patterns were special and very pretty, the colours were also very rich as well,” she said.
Norwegian tourist Martin Lexau, 35, said he and his son had eagerly awaited the show, having researched it beforehand.
“This is the first time that we will ever have seen a drone show, normally we are used to fireworks, so for us, this is totally new. I think it is really cool,” he said.
Lexau, who is on the eighth day of a two-week trip to the city, said the government holding more such events would help to attract tourists.

The Observatory earlier said the diameter of the moon was expected to appear about 7 per cent larger than that seen when it was at an average distance from the Earth.
This season’s supermoon should be at its highest point and could come as close as 357,400km (222,078 miles) on the night of the festival into Wednesday morning. Saturn would also be visible in “proximity” to the moon, it added. But poor weather could hamper visibility.
Additional reporting by Edith Lin


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The drone show over Victoria Harbour included a panda bear. Photo: Eugene Lee

Spectators had gathered well before the drone show started to secure good viewing spots. Photo: Harvey Kong

The performance area was expanded this year. Photo: Elson Li

The Tai Hang Fire Dragon Dance features a 67-metre fire dragon made of incense sticks. Photo: Dickson Lee

The fire dragon is made of incense sticks. Photo: Leopold Chen 

The supermoon is visible in the Hong Kong night sky. Photo: Eugene Lee

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Vivian Leung prepares to bake mooncakes made the traditional way using ingredients sourced in Hong Kong for charity Locofarms. Photo: Locofarms

KC Koo is the owner of Hong Kong food company Fancook. He sells a line of mooncakes containing salted egg yolk with yellow lotus paste. Photo: SCMP

The Michelin-star Man Ho Chinese Restaurant in Hong Kong sells freshly baked mooncakes. Photo: Man Ho Chinese Restaurant

A salted egg yolk and yellow lotus paste mooncake. Photo: Fan Cook

Vivian Leung making mooncakes. Locofarms produced 250 boxes of mooncakes for this year’s Mid-Autumn Festival. Photo: Locofarms

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An elaborate lighting display at Victoria Park in Causeway Bay to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival. Photo: Eugene Lee

A collaboration between the Unesco-awarded Tai O Heritage Hotel and Tai O Cultural Association, visitors can board man-powered sampans to learn about the village’s fishing traditions. Photo: Tai O Banyan Tree

The Tai Hang Fire Dragon Dance is a long-standing Mid-Autumn Festival tradition. Photo: Sam Tsang

Lanterns displayed at Tai Kiu Market of Yuen Long ahead of Mid-Autumn Festival. Photo: Sam Tsang

Fire dragon dance, drone show draw crowds as Hong Kong celebrates Mid-Autumn Festival

This year’s Mid-Autumn Festival was the hottest on record