Officially listed as a national intangible cultural heritage item in 2011, the Cheung Chau Da Jiu Festival attracts large crowds of locals and tourists each year to participate in a series of traditional activities, with the highlight being the colorful parade known as "Piu Sik (Floating Colours)." This year's parade will take place on May 5, and various community groups in Cheung Chau are busy preparing for the event.
A More Engaging Theme
The annual Da Jiu Festival is the largest traditional festival in Cheung Chau, serving as an excellent opportunity to promote traditional culture and revitalize the local streets.
This year's Piu Sik (Floating Colours) theme is particularly engaging, incorporating popular elements from contemporary IPs like "Nezha," alongside current events such as the controversial "KK Park," which reminds locals and visitors to be wary of scams.
Cheung Chau Pak She Kai Fong Association shared that this year there will be four floats, with "Nezha," a character that has captured the public's heart since the release of the film "Nezha," being a focal point of the parade.
Kwong Sai-loi, president of the Cheung Chau Wai Hoi Luk Clansmen Association, noted that in addition to Nezha, the American internet celebrity "IShowSpeed" will also be featured as a theme. He hopes that the positive aspects of Hong Kong will be promoted through this theme, anticipating that this year's festival will coincide with the May Day holiday, drawing more visitors to Cheung Chau.
The Qingming Festival long weekend ended yesterday (April 6), and many tourists took the opportunity to visit Cheung Chau. Reporters found long lines at the ferry terminal, with the area around the seafront and Tung Wan Road bustling with visitors enjoying local delicacies like fish balls and glutinous rice dumplings. Families were seen taking photos at the pier, with some bringing their pets along.
At the famous "Kwok Kam Kee" shop, manager Guo mentioned that business during Qingming was about 10-20% higher than usual, with more local customers than those from the mainland. Regarding the upcoming Da Jiu Festival on May 5, which coincides with the Buddha's Birthday holiday, he expects a similar business volume to usual but is preparing more stock to meet demand. This year, the price of the Peaceful Bags remains unchanged at HK$11 each.
The Miami Resort expressed concerns that the festival might attract people but not necessarily boost business. The resort has about 60 rooms available, but currently, only 30-40% of them are occupied on weekends. In previous years, rooms would be fully booked well in advance of the festival. He noted that this year, the festival falls on a Monday, with the next day being a working day, making it less appealing for locals to stay overnight.
(Source: Lion Rock Daily)
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