Thousands Flock to Hong Kong's Cheung Chau for Annual Bun Festival Parade

Thousands of visitors gathered on Hong Kong's Cheung Chau Island to witness the annual Bun Festival, highlighted by the vibrant "Piu Sik" parade on Wednesday. Children, dressed in costumes ranging from Cinderella to Dragon Ball Z, were hoisted onto metal poles as mascots of the parade, replacing the traditional deity statues. The event, steeped in cultural traditions, saw temperatures soar to 29°C (84°F). The Bun Festival, inspired by the 1800s legend of fisherfolk driving away pirates and plague, featured elaborately dressed children raised above the crowds. Festivalgoers queued at local bakeries to sample the island's signature sweet buns, stamped with the Chinese character for "peace and safety." Martin Kwok, a second-generation bakery owner, shared his dedication to maintaining the tradition, producing over 60,000 buns daily. The festival also included a 14-meter tower covered with imitation buns for the midnight bun-scrambling competition. Former winner Janet Kung described the competition's grandeur and the challenge of managing crowd pressure.