Guests paddle a dragon boat after the "eye-dotting ceremony" of the Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival 2023, at the Central Park, in New York, United States, on July 20, 2023. (PHOTO / HKSAR GOVERNMENT)
A traditional Chinese dragon boat glided across the Central Park Lake in New York on Thursday morning, leading up to the annual Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival in the US city.
Sponsored by the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office (ETO) in New York, this year’s Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival will be held on Aug 12 and 13 at the Flushing Meadows Corona Park. More than 170 teams are going to contest each other on strength, stamina, technique and sportsmanship on the Meadow Lake.
Candy Nip Kai-yan (second left), director of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in New York, and Henry Wan (third left), chairman of the Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival in New York Inc, join guests for the "eye-dotting ceremony" of the Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival 2023, at the Central Park, in New York, United States, on July 20, 2023. (PHOTO / HKSAR GOVERNMENT)
Candy Nip Kai-yan, director of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in New York, speaks at the "eye-dotting ceremony" of the Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival 2023, at the Central Park, in New York, United States, on July 20, 2023. (PHOTO / HKSAR GOVERNMENT)
Candy Nip Kai-yan, director of the NY ETO, joined representatives of the festival organizing committee and other guests at the park for an "eye-dotting" ceremony, a ritual implying “awakening the dragon,” before the boat was launched.
Nip said the festival represents the office's commitment to promoting Chinese culture, Hong Kong traditions as well as friendship between the two cities.
Guests pose for a photo at the "eye-dotting ceremony" of the Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival 2023, at the Central Park, in New York, United States, on July 20, 2023. (PHOTO / HKSAR GOVERNMENT)
The NY ETO first introduced modern dragon boat racing to New Yorkers in 1991. Since then, the festival has become an annual summer extravaganza on the city's event calendar.
