Behind the scenes at the Hong Kong waterfront carnival
Travelling carnivals have been providing thrills and spills for centuries. With Hong Kong's Central waterfront currently hosting one of the best, Mathew Scott steps behind the scenes to hear from some of the showmen and women responsible for making the magic happen
The AIA Great European Carnival has helped light up the Central waterfront this festive season.
The show will go on until February 22, featuring some of the oldest attractions known to festival-going man - the modern carousel was a fixture at fairs by the mid-19th century and the helter-skelter debuted in 1905 - while modern-day wonders such as the towering Mach 5 seem to defy the laws of gravity, and health and safety. There's also been concerts and street-style performances at the event, and an array of games to test skill and luck.
Behind the scenes are a number of European carnival veterans - the showmen who own and operate the rides, sideshows such as the Haunted House and the various games stalls - many of whom trace their lineage back to the fairs that delighted, excited and mystified thrill-seekers across Europe in the 1600s.
These showmen and women have been sharing their passion with the roughly 500 Hongkongers hired to add a local flavour to the fair. And, in the best of show-business traditions, they all have a story to tell …
