Big-bark bash for Year of the Dog

A month of Chinese New Year celebrations in Hong Kong, marking the Year of the Dog, will be characterized by the adventurous and playful nature of the dog. Parades, festive feasts, fireworks and pop-up flower markets begin with a worldclass parade on main streets Feb. 16.

The night sky will light up over Victoria Harbor beginning at 8 p.m. Feb. 17. Best vantage points are the Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront and Central Harbourfront.

Throughout February the Central Harbourfront will be transformed into the Great European Carnival, an outdoor amusement park with a giant carousel, foods from around the world, games and a circus. The Sha Tin Racecourse comes alive on Feb. 18 with horse races and live entertainment.

Temporary flower markets pop up in Victoria Park a week in advance of the festival each year. With vivid and exotic blooms, they’re filled with festival decorations, souvenirs and delicious treats.

Various plants and foods are symbolic, with kumquats representing wealth and peach blossoms symbolizing romance. Luckysounding ingredients, especially, comprise Cantonese cuisine this time of year. Tongyu dumplings, for instance, sound similar to the Cantonese word “reunion” and thus symbolize the coming together of family. Dried oysters phonetically recall “good business,” so they are popular with Hong Kong entrepreneurs. The one-pot casseroles called poon choi, a popular meal choice for families and groups, a made by layering ingredients on top of each other in a large pot.

Visit discoverhongkong. com for more information.

SUBMITTED Ornately dressed dancers and musicians comprise a huge parade winding through downtown Hong Kong streets to mark the Feb. 16 Chinese New Year.