Visitors at the entrance to the Hometown Market Carnival. (EDMOND TANG / CHINA DAILY)

A three-day fair celebrating the upcoming 26th anniversary of Hong Kong’s return to the motherland began at Victoria Park, Hong Kong Island, on Saturday. The fair allows local residents, many of whom have their roots in various regions on the Chinese mainland, to enjoy the rich and diverse provincial cultures without having to return home.

The Hometown Market Carnival, jointly organized by 26 mainland provincial associations in the special administrative region, features more than 200 stalls displaying folk handicrafts, ethnic clothing and local specialties from 26 provincial-level areas. There are also cultural performances, including singing, a lion dance, and a Quanzhou puppetry show.

The carnival’s first day attracted thousands of visitors, who bought cartfuls of specialties and acquired a deeper understanding of the mainland’s diverse provincial cultures and traditions. 

Hong Kong Chief Secretary for Administration Eric Chan Kwok-Ki (front row, fifth from left) takes a group photo with guests at the launch ceremony of the carnival on Saturday. (EDMOND TANG / CHINA DAILY)

Members of a townsmen association of Nanning, the capital of the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, commemorate their time at the fair. (EDMOND TANG / CHINA DAILY)

Visitors select products at a stand that offers specialties of Suqian, a city in Jiangsu province. (EDMOND TANG / CHINA DAILY)

Carnival employees showcase creative products made via intangible culture heritage techniques of Shaanxi province. (EDMOND TANG / CHINA DAILY)

A panoramic view of the venue at Victoria Park. (EDMOND TANG / CHINA DAILY)

Hong Kong Chief Secretary for Administration Eric Chan Kwok-Ki delivers a speech at the launch ceremony, saying he hopes the event shows Hong Kong residents the various features of different mainland provinces and boosts local consumption. (EDMOND TANG / CHINA DAILY)

Visitors flock to the booths despite the scorching heat. (EDMOND TANG / CHINA DAILY)

People take stock of the specialties they bought. (EDMOND TANG / CHINA DAILY)

A craftsman at Sichuan province’s booth makes a sugar painting. (EDMOND TANG / CHINA DAILY)

A panda clay figurine is produced to display Sichuan province’s uniqueness. (EDMOND TANG / CHINA DAILY)

Women wear traditional dresses and hats of Fujian province. (EDMOND TANG / CHINA DAILY)