Flashy floats, free gifts and the China Coast Jazzmen will bring a New Orleans Mardi Gras atmosphere to Hong Kong
TO ADD AN extra dimension to this year's carnival, the Lan Kwai Fong Association is introducing a New Orleans Mardi Gras theme to festivities. Like the Rio Carnival, Mardi Gras traditionally takes place in the weeks before Shrove Tuesday, or Fat Tuesday, as it is called in New Orleans.
French settlers introduced Mardi Gras celebrations to Louisiana in the 1700s. Traditions such as costumed balls, masks and parades featuring elaborate floats, unique to New Orleans, have grown up over the centuries and the carnival has become a major tourist attraction as well as a local festival.
As well as enjoying the spectacle of Mardi Gras, in New Orleans people love collecting the beads and trinkets that are thrown to the crowds from the performers on the floats in the parade. In Hong Kong, stalls at the street carnival will be selling special souvenir beads.
'The beads will be traditional New Orleans Mardi Gras beads, featuring the typical purple, green and gold colours,' says Terence Loo, head of marketing and communications for Lan Kwai Fong Entertainments.
'There will also be trinkets specific to Lan Kwai Fong, such as local street signs. The beads and trinkets will be sold at a very reasonable price and given away in competitions throughout the weekend.'
New Orleans is the home of jazz and any Mardi Gras parade would not be complete without music. The New Orleans sound in Lan Kwai Fong will be provided by Colin Aitchison and the China Coast Jazzmen.
