Tai O Heritage Hotel Hong Kong launches "Spin The Luck 2018" New Year celebrations

HONG KONG, Feb. 14, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- UNESCO-awarded Tai O Heritage Hotel has announced the launch of the "Spin The Luck 2018" event from February 15 to 25 in celebration of the beginning of the Year of the Dog. The windmill-themed event invites the public to join in the prayer for good luck by turning the blades of the windmills. It also features the Chinese art of blowing sugar figurines as well as performances of the lion dance and of Cantonese opera, among other activities. Besides, Tai O Heritage Hotel will open to the public from 11 am to 6 pm and free-of-charge, with the aim of enhancing community engagement and highlighting the importance of cultural heritage.

Tai O Heritage Hotel has announced the launch of the "Spin The Luck 2018" event from February 15 to February 25 in celebration of the beginning of the Year of the Dog.

Main Entrance of Tai O Heritage Hotel

The glass-roofed Tai O Lookout restaurant in the hotel will feature a barbeque-style buffet specially designed for the Lunar New Year.

The local native craftsmen will also demonstrate the traditional skills of sugar figurines blowing, an important component of Hong Kong’s intangible cultural heritage, on Sunday afternoon, 24 February.

The special dish "Tai O Lo Hei", all in the spirit of celebrating the arrival of the Year of the Dog with guests.

Experience the intangible cultural heritage of Hong Kong

As part of the celebrations, Tai O villagers will take turns enacting the role of the God of Wealth, conveying their feelings of joy and inviting blessings for good luck. Members of the Tai O Resident's Affairs Advancement Association and students from the Buddhist Fat Ho Memorial College in Tai O will be invited to take part in the lion dance in celebration of the New Year. The dance is a traditional folkloric and artistic performance, with the goal of showcasing cultural heritage and community inclusion.

Visitors to Tai O will also experience an important component of the intangible cultural heritage of Hong Kong, including the opportunity to observe first-hand the traditional craftsmanship behind the blowing of sugar figurines, an art form that dates back to China's Ming Dynasty. The craftswoman starts by kneading the malt sugar that serves as the base material and then blows the material into human-, puppet-, animal-, flower- and bird-shaped souvenirs.

The Cantonese opera, a fundamental component of Hong Kong's cultural heritage, will be performed by child actors from Cha Duk Chang Children's Cantonese Opera Association. On the days of the performance, the child actors will also take a tour of Tai O with the God of Wealth, in addition to taking part in several featured events, including interactive games and a booth for trying on different operatic costumes.

Take part in various activities to celebrate Lunar New Year

Throughout the event, a New Year couplets workshop will be held, giving families the opportunity to create their own couplets that express hopeful thoughts for the coming year. After attending the workshop, the next recommended stop is a visit to Tai O Heritage Hotel, where red and golden windmills are on display. Turning the blades of the windmills and praying for good luck add to the atmosphere of the New Year celebrations. The hotel also sends its best wishes to visitors by handing out complimentary windmills as souvenirs.

The glass-roofed Tai O Lookout restaurant in the hotel will feature a golden gong representing good fortune and a barbeque-style buffet specially designed for the New Year. In addition to a wide range of afternoon tea, lunch and dinner options, the restaurant also plans to serve the famous "Tai O Lo Hei", each of which when eaten, according to tradition, brings good luck to the person partaking of the dish.

Tai O Heritage Hotel is run as a non-profit social enterprise by the Hong Kong Heritage Conservation Foundation. The hotel has received more than a million visitors and guests since opening to the public in 2012. By conserving the structure that housed the Old Tai O Police Station and participating in more than one hundred community events, the hotel has not only helped to preserve the unique landscape and livelihood of the fishing village, but also works with the local community to turn Tai O into one of the most popular sightseeing destinations in Hong Kong. The hotel also creates jobs for residents in Tai O and Lantau, in addition to providing a range of curated community engagement programs, accommodation experiences in addition to the ecotourism guided tour.

Details of the "Spin The Luck 2018" event by Tai O Heritage Hotel Hong Kong:

Date: February 15 - February 25, 2018

More information about the New Year's barbeque buffet:

Date: February 16 - February 19, 2018

About Tai O Heritage Hotel Hong Kong (www.taioheritagehotel.com)

Tai O Heritage Hotel, located at Shek Tsai Po Street, Tai O and surrounded by lush greenery, was transformed from the 115-year-old Old Tai O Police Station built in 1902 and rated as a Grade II historic building by the Antiquities Advisory Board. The hotel is included in Batch I of the Hong Kong SAR Government Development Bureau's Revitalizing Historic Buildings through the Partnership Scheme and has now become a cultural and historic landmark in Tai O fishing village, Lantau Island. Opened in 2012 and operated as a non-profit social enterprise, Tai O Heritage Hotel provides free guided tours every day to the general public and charity organizations with the aim of heightening awareness around the conservation of historic buildings. It is now home to nine elegantly decorated rooms, the Heritage Interpretation Centre and the glass-roofed open view restaurant Tai O Lookout. Tai O Heritage Hotel has received more than a million visitors and guests since opening its doors five years ago.

About Hong Kong Heritage Conservation Foundation Limited (www.hkheritage.org)

Hong Kong Heritage Conservation Foundation Limited (HCF) is a non-profit organization established by the Ng Teng Fong family in March 2008. It identifies and showcases the heritage significance of historical projects in both Hong Kong and Singapore. HCF is advocates the opinion that the conservation of cultural heritage helps the community to build a sense of identity and strengthen relationships in society. The primary objectives of HCF are to revitalise and conserve historic buildings, and to promote the appreciation and importance of cultural heritage to the community. The directors of HCF are enthusiastic supporters of community initiatives, and possess considerable experience in heritage buildings revitalisation projects. They have been actively involved in many heritage projects, including Tai O Heritage Hotel, The Fullerton Hotel Singapore, The Fullerton Waterboat House, Clifford Pier and Far East Square.

Tai O Heritage Hotel

Address: Shek Tsai Po Street, Tai O, Lantau Island, Hong Kong
Tel: +852-2985-8383
Website: www.taioheritagehotel.com
Facebook: taioheritagehotel

Media Enquiry:

Charlotte Ho
Tel: +852-2452-8868 /+852-6396-9500
Email: charlotteho@hkheritage.org

Jasmine Yeung
Tel: +852-2293-0208 /+852-6531-9181
Email: jasmineyeung@hkheritage.org

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