Gaya Street Mid-Autumn Lantern Festival Sept 29

KOTA KINABALU: More than 500 participants from 32 associations, schools and teams will be taking part in the Gaya Street MidAutumn Lantern Festival 2018 on September 29.

To spread the festive spirit, Gaya Street has been adorned with hundreds of red lanterns to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival.

Kota Kinabalu Member of Parliament Chan Foong Hin, Likas Assemblyman Tan Lee Fatt, Luyang Assemblyman Phoong Jin Zhe and Mayor Datuk Yeo Boon Hai, along with The United Sabah Chinese Communities Association of Kota Kinabalu (USCCAKK) president Datuk Susan Wong Siew Guen, Sabah Association of Tour and Travel Agents (Satta) president Datuk Seri Winston Liaw, presidents and representatives of USCCAKK member associations, Youth and Women committee members have jointly inspected the venue on Wednesday to ensure the event would run smoothly.

The organizing committee are committed to make the much anticipated Gaya Street MidAutumn Lantern Festival a great success and an exciting celebration for the people.

The guest of honour for the festival is Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Shafie Apdal, while Deputy Chief Minister cum Minister of Tourism, Culture and Environment Christina Liew and Consul General of the People’s Republic of China in Kota Kinabalu, Liang Caide have been invited as special guests.

To date, 13 of the 15 member associations under USCCAKK have signed up for the lantern parade and competition. They are Kota Kinabalu Hakka Association, Kota Kinabalu Hokkien Association, Sze Yi Association West Coast, Sabah, Kota Kinabalu Kwong Siew Association, Kota Kinabalu Teochew Association, Tai Poo Community Association of Sabah, Hainan Association Kota Kinabalu, Foochow Association Kota Kinabalu, Lung Yen Association Kota Kinabalu, Sabah Eng Choon Association, Sabah Ann Koai Association, Kota Kinabalu Hin Ann Association and Sabah San Chiang Association.

Meanwhile, SJK(C) Hwa Shiong, Putatan, SJK(C) Chung Hwa Likas, SJK(C) St Peter Telipok, SJK(C) St James, SJK(C) Shan Tao, SJK(C) Anglo Chinese, Sabah Tshung Tsin Secondary School (STTSS), Kian Kok Middle School and Kota Kinabalu High School are joining the competition as well, along with nine teams in the Open category.

With more than 500 participants from the 32 teams, the Gaya Street Mid-Autumn Lantern Festival is bound to be a lively, enjoyable event.

Participating teams stand to win attractive prizes for well-designed lanterns. Registration for the lantern competition is still open till September 26, 12 noon.

The lantern parade will begin from Mandarin Hotel near Lintasan Deasoka to the main stage before heading to the water fountain at Gaya Street and back to the starting point. The event is expected to attract not only locals, but also tourists in the vicinity.