Monthly Highlights
 
A Festive February at the Arts Hub  
It has been a festive February at the West Kowloon Cultural District with two events welcoming the Year of the Snake. The West Kowloon Bamboo Theatre drew its curtain on 16 February, with more than 100,000 visitors during the three-week Cantonese opera and music event, which is six times more than its debut last year. The huge success has proved that traditional culture still has its appeal to a wide range of audience - locals and tourists of all age groups.

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Various traditional snacks and crafts as well as creative handmade goodies at the Fair.
The popular event took place in an 800-seat purpose-built bamboo theatre at the arts hub’s Canton Road entrance. While star-studded Cantonese opera shows were the main attractions, the event also staged a series of programmes including Cantonese opera performances by budding talents, Chinese folk dance by the Hong Kong Dance Company, contemporary music concerts, and a Bamboo Theatre Fair filled with traditional snacks and handicrafts to greet the Year of the Snake. The winning Xiqu Centre design model was also on display at its future home. On the closing day, dozens of students from the International Children Painting Competition in Hong Kong painted their own versions of the bamboo theatre to bid farewell with a young creative touch.

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18 performances of Cantonese opera, music and dance were staged during the three-week event.
Describing it as the most successful WKCD event so far, Chief Executive Officer Mr Michael Lynch expressed his heartfelt gratitude to the public for their enthusiastic and continuous support for this annual event.

“For a man who runs theatre, nothing makes me happier than a 99% sell out! The Xiqu Centre will be built on this site later this year but we are going to continue this anchor event at another location next year with even more dance and music elements appealing to the younger audience.” Mr Lynch promised more arts and culture programmes in the year to come.

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A fun day out at the Festive Drums for a Roaring New Year concert.
The festive celebration continued with the Festive Drums for a Roaring New Year co-presented by the WKCDA and the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra (HKCO) held on 17 February at the West Kowloon Waterfront Promenade.

About 6,000 citizens had a fun afternoon at the first large-scale outdoor drum concert, with a huge drum measuring 3.47 metres as a centerpiece. The programme of the day also included a concert by the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra, under the baton of Principal Conductor Yan Huichang, performances by the winning teams of the HKCO’s highly popular Synergy 24 Drum Competition of Hong Kong, game stalls with Chinese New Year themes and traditional arts-and-craft classes. It was a fun day out for the family, children and adults alike.
 
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