CHEUNG CHAU, Hong Kong (AP) – Tens of thousands of locals and tourists flocked to the small island of Cheung Chau on Wednesday, braving the sweltering heat to celebrate the annual bun festival, a beloved tradition steeped in cultural pageantry and high-stakes competition.
The lively event, known as Tai Ping Ching Chiu in Cantonese, featured the vibrant Piu Sik Parade in the afternoon, where colorful floats and performers paraded through the streets.
As of 8pm, the Sun Ferry Services Company had transported over 51,000 people from Central to Cheung Chau. To accommodate the large number of visitors leaving the island after the bun competition, Citybus and Kowloon Motor Bus ran special routes at midnight and diverted some overnight routes to the Central Ferry Pier.
The Cheung Chau Bun Festival, with its unique blend of tradition, excitement, and delicious food, continues to be a popular draw for locals and tourists alike.
But the highlight of the day was the highly anticipated bun scrambling final competition, held at the stroke of midnight on the football pitch of the Pak Tai Temple Recreation Ground.
Nine male and three female finalists, including firefighter Yip Kin-man who was crowned the “Bun King” and nurse Kung Tsz-shan who won the title of “Bun Queen”, competed to fill their bags with the most points worth of buns from a 14-meter-high mountain covered in 9,000 plastic buns within a 3-minute time limit.
The frenetic bun snatching competition, a tradition dating back to the festival’s origins as a ritual to pray for safety from a plague, drew thunderous cheers from the large crowds that had gathered to witness the spectacle.
Beyond the main event, local businesses were thriving, reporting brisk sales and fully booked accommodation. Holiday houses on the island were completely reserved, and shops selling the iconic Ping On buns saw long lines of customers throughout the day.
“We’re happy with the business volume,” said Mercy, a staffer at a holiday house. “Our rooms were fully booked a month in advance.”
The surge of visitors was evident in the ferry traffic as well. As of 8 PM, the Sun Ferry Services Company had transported over 51,000 people from Central to Cheung Chau. To handle the large numbers leaving the island after the bun competition, Citybus and Kowloon Motor Bus ran special routes at midnight and diverted some overnight routes to the Central Ferry Pier.
Despite the punishing heat, the Cheung Chau Bun Festival once again proved to be a resilient and cherished tradition, drawing tens of thousands to experience the island’s unique blend of cultural pageantry, culinary delights, and the electrifying bun scrambling competition.
