Hong Kong Labour Day drone show leaves buzzing spectators in festive mood
The 12-minute show featured 1,000 drones weaving through the skies above Victoria Harbour in colourful tributes to local festivals
A Labour Day drone show featuring colourful tributes to Hong Kong traditions wowed thousands of residents and visitors along the Wan Chai temporary promenade on Thursday evening, with the intricate and creative portrayals of coming festivals sparking loud applause.
The 12-minute show started at 8pm, with 1,000 drones weaving through the skies above Victoria Harbour, forming shapes such as firecrackers, dancing qilin – mythical hoofed beasts – and a bun tower, in a nod to the Cheung Chau Bun Festival.
The annual bun festival on the outlying island is a weeklong event of Taoist origins. Celebrations culminate in a children’s float parade known as piu sik on Monday, before a bun-scrambling competition at night.
As the Wan Chai show started, drones took the form of ocean waves and vibrant leaping fish, then transitioned into a display of fa pau, paper floral tributes symbolising blessings during the Tin Hau Festival, held annually on the 23rd day of the third lunar month. People gather during the festival to pray for favourable weather, peace and prosperity, harking back to its fishing village origins.
The drones then moved on to celebrate the Tam Kung Festival, with a colossal formation transforming into the qilin embodying good fortune and peace. The majestic figure then soared through the night sky, captivating spectators.