The “Encountering Chinese Culture” carnival of the inaugural Chinese Culture Festival (CCF) was held today in Sha Tin, attracting an attendance of around 13,500.

The carnival offered an array of free activities, from stage performances to story-telling sessions and more, that allowed citizens to experience the colourful Chinese culture and arts up close.

Addressing those gathered at the carnival’s kick-off ceremony, Secretary for Culture, Sports & Tourism Kevin Yeung said he hopes that through the CCF, the unique charm and diversified characteristics of Chinese culture would be demonstrated to local residents, arts and culture lovers and tourists from all over the world.

Mr Yeung stressed that the festival would also drive visitor arrivals and related business growth to implement the concept of "Tourism is everywhere in Hong Kong" by making good use of the city’s tourism resources, bringing impetus into the city’s economy.

He emphasised that he hopes the carnival activities could shorten the distance between culture and arts and people’s living, and enhance people’s understanding of, interest in and resonance with fine traditional Chinese culture.

The ultimate aim is to strengthen cultural pride among people, creating quality cultural values, and promoting the creative transformation and development of fine traditional Chinese culture, Mr Yeung added.

Various activities of the carnival were held at such places as the Sha Tin Town Hall foyer and plaza as well as the Entrance Arena at Phase 1 of New Town Plaza.

Visitors were attracted by the series of amazing dance, drumming and magic performances, which were mostly excerpts from this year’s CCF programmes, presented by outstanding local and Mainland arts groups.

There were also eight cultural booths and workshops covering a wide range of intangible cultural heritage items of traditional craftsmanship. Booths for making fragrant-sachets and the paper-folding of dragon boats and rice dumplings were specially set up.

Additionally, the story ambassadors of the Hong Kong Public Libraries’ Library-on-Wheels delivered stories from The Romance of the Three Kingdoms. Plus, other Chinese classic novels and books on Chinese culture were available for visitors to borrow on-site.