HKTB “Sun Life Hong Kong International Dragon Boat Races” Nine-Day Dragon Boat Carnival Starts With Festive Harbourside Food Lane

The Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB), the Hong Kong China Dragon Boat Association (HKCDBA) and title sponsor Sun Life today (31 May) begins nine consecutive days of celebrations for the “Sun Life Hong Kong International Boat Races” with the opening of a mouth-watering “Dragon Boat Food Lane” in Tsim Sha Tsui East. This year’s event has been expanded into a carnival spanning two weekends, blending traditional cultural celebrations with thrilling festive experiences to provide visitors and locals with a feast of culinary delicacies, together with panda-themed merchandise and photo spots. 

Avenue of Stars Transformed into Culinary Haven: 

10 Food Stalls Serve Traditional and Modern Treats 

From today until 8 June, the “Dragon Boat Food Lane” on Tsim Sha Tsui’s iconic Avenue of Stars features 10 food stalls serving Tuen Ng Festival-themed delicacies. The stalls are open daily from 1 pm until 10 pm and offer treats including traditional rice dumplings, dragon boat-shaped red bean pastries, and ice pops, as well as salted egg yolk-infused egg waffles and octopus balls inspired by rice dumplings, together with a refreshing array of summer drinks. As the races take place along Victoria Harbour on 7 and 8 June, visitors and locals will be able to savour these delights and fully immerse themselves in the Tuen Ng Festival atmosphere. 

Ocean Park's Panda Friends Get Into the Festive Spirit:

Photo Spots and Pop-up Shop Add to the Excitement  

Ocean Park’s adorable “Panda Friends” – including giant pandas An An, Ke Ke, Ying Ying, and Le Le, along with twin cubs Jia Jia and De De – appear at three prominent photo spots along the Avenue of Stars from now until 8 June. As well as showing off their delightful Tuen Ng Festival-themed attire, Jia Jia and De De also invite visitors to take photos with them on their swing and beside the Star Ferry with the iconic Victoria Harbour in the background, celebrating the city’s unique charm. 

A special “Panda Friends@Ocean Park Hong Kong” Pop-up Store at the venue features an exclusive collection of panda-themed merchandise. Merchandise includes limited edition items with a Dragon Boat theme, including cooling towels, badges and t-shirts, making it a must-visit location for panda fans. 

Dragon Boat Races Begin Next Week:

Three Entertainment Offerings Elevate the Festive Spirit  

The hugely-anticipated Dragon Boat Races make their spectacular return on 7 and 8 June with more than 190 teams from 12 countries and regions battling for glory over two days along the Tsim Sha Tsui East Promenade. This year’s event sees the debut of a Secondary School Championship category to engage younger generations in preserving Hong Kong’s intangible cultural heritage, as well as a Disciplinary Forces Championship featuring eight teams from Hong Kong’s disciplined and auxiliary services. Their displays of teamwork are guaranteed to bring enthusiastic cheers from spectators. 

The HKTB has organised a programme of entertainment to add to the carnival spirit of the race weekend on 7 and 8 June, including a Beer Garden in the Urban Council Centenary Garden in Tsim Sha Tsui East, flash mob performances by a world-class performing troupe, and appearances by popular cartoon mascots to elevate the festive mood. 

• Beer Garden: The HKTB has teamed up with San Miguel Beer to set up a Beer Garden in Tsim Sha Tsui East Centenary Garden. Four types of locally-produced draught beers will be on tap to help visitors beat the heat – San Miguel Pale Pilsen, San Mig Light, San Miguel Cerveza Blanca, and San Miguel Cerveza Negra. The venue will also feature festive-themed photo spots and stage performances while visitors with a valid travel document will be able to redeem coupons for a complimentary draught beer. (See Appendix for details.) 
• World-Class Performances: World-famous entertainment troupe Cirque du Soleil will step out from the Big Top on Central Harbourfront to deliver flash mob acrobatic performances, bringing its signature hula hoop routine from the stage to the Tsim Sha Tsui East promenade for the first time. 
• Mascots Meet-and-Greets: LINE Friends characters Brown and Cony wearing summer outfits along with inflatable mascots of Ocean Park Hong Kong’s twin panda cubs Jia Jia and De De will make surprise appearances throughout race days in Tsim Sha Tsui East’s Urban Council Centenary Garden. The popular characters will roam the area and pose for photos with visitors, infusing the crowd with their joyful energy. 

HKTB’s Page for Cultural and Festive Events: A One-Stop Guide to Activities and Promotions Citywide  

Visitors and locals can explore the HKTB’s dedicated page for the Hong Kong Cultural Beat campaign on the one-stop travel information platform DiscoverHongKong.com. This page provides detailed schedules for the dragon boat races as well as information on festive activities across the city and exclusive promotions. For people unable to attend in person, the HKTB has arranged for RTHK TV 32 to broadcast the finals and award ceremony live, making sure everyone can enjoy the drama online wherever they are in the world.