From flowers to fai chun, crowds return in force to Victoria Park on the fair’s opening day as the city ushers in the Year of the Horse
Vendors at Hong Kong’s biggest Lunar New Year fair are confident of strong sales this year despite higher rents, with some noting a larger turnout in Causeway Bay on the event’s opening day than last year.
Hundreds of shoppers visited the fair at Victoria Park on Wednesday to check out this year’s offerings at 400 stalls, which included horse-themed merchandise, flowers and street food to celebrate the Year of the Horse.
The fair is one of 14 across the city in locations such as Tsuen Wan, Kwun Tong and Yuen Long. The events will run daily until the start of the Lunar New Year on February 17.
A man in his fifties surnamed Cheng, who was helping out at his family business selling peach blossom trees, said he had high hopes for this year’s sales.
“On the first day, we’ve already sold around 40 trees. This time last year, we only sold a dozen,” he said. “There are about 50 per cent more people on the first day compared with last year.”
Cheng said the rent for their booth, which occupied three lots, had risen by about 10 per cent year on year, but they decided not to pass on the extra cost to customers.
Source: News - South China Morning Post
