Various problems encountered in previous years, due in part to the natural exuberance and local rivalry of the performers, required a large presence of both uniformed and crime officers on the day of the celebrations.

The mobilisation was on top of much preparation work by YL DIST, such as vetting the performers and agreeing styles of dress with the organisers. Setting out hundreds of mills barriers and arranging road signs and road closures were also necessary but were a largely unnoticed part of the police effort.

On the day in question, the parade in Yuen Long was the usual spectacular success, much to the delight of villagers, tourists and the general public, proving once again that all the hard work of the Police was well worth the effort.

Among the events throughout Hong Kong to celebrate the Festival of Tin Hau, the most spectacular one - as in past years - took place in Yuen Long. A spectacular night parade of lion and dragon dancers went to the Tin Hau Temple at Tai Shue Ha late on the evening of May 10. There the village teams collected the "Fa Paus" they had drawn lots for the previous year, and performed in the Temple yard under an ancient banyan tree until well into the early hours of the morning.

Festivities resumed the following morning with a spectacular parade through the streets of Yuen Long Town before thousands of onlookers. Twenty-five teams of performers, including lion dancers, dragon dancers and other artists formed a procession to Yuen Long Stadium to greet a number of VIPs, including Ms Janet Wong, Deputy Director of Home Affairs. From the stadium the teams marched back to the Tin Hau Temple at Tai Shue Ha, where tribute was paid to the statue of Tin Hau. This was followed by drawing of lots for the right to carry the most prestigious "Fa Paus" next year.

Lion dance in front of the Tin Hau Temple