22nd Macau Myanmar Overseas Chinese Water Festival Around Town in April

Men, women and children joyfully splash water to dispense blessings (Photo provided by Macau Association of Mutual Help of Myanmar Overseas Chinese)

The 22nd Macau Myanmar Overseas Chinese Water Festival - hosted by the Macau Association of Mutual Help of Myanmar Overseas Chinese from 21st to 24th April - features tourism business promotion, a photography exhibition, blessed rice distribution, parade, blessings parade, Myanmar and Southeast Asian Food Carnival, folk dance show and the fun-filled, water-splashing Water Festival Carnival, which celebrates the Burmese New Year.

This year, the activity will introduce the tourism attractions of Baise in Guangxi Province, The Guangxi Tourism Promotion activity will be held at 4:00pm in The Plaza Restaurant on 21st April, and is followed by the Photography Exhibition introducing Baise in the first floor gallery of The Plaza Restaurant from 21st to 24th April whereby visitors can learn more about the rich tourism resources of Guangxi Province.

The Blessings Parade commences at 1:30pm on 22nd April from the Three Lamps District (Rotunda de Carlos da Maia), from whence it wends its way along Rua de Manuel de Arriaga, Est. de Adolfo Loureiro, Rua de Pedro Coutinho, and Rua de Fernão Mendes Pinto before returning to the Three Lamps District. The popular Myanmar and Southeast Asian Food Carnival and Folk Dance Show will be held from 3:00pm to 7:30pm in the Three Lamps District on the same day.

The highlight event is the Parade at 10:00am and 2:00pm on 22nd April and at 10:00am on 23rd April starting from the Hotline Building in Alameda Dr. Carlos d'Assumpção in Macao, from where it heads to Taipa and Coloane offering blessings to the public. Another main activity of the Water Festival Carnival will be held at 3:00pm on 23rd April at the Taipa Houses, presenting an opportunity for the public to splash water with girls dressed in the costumes of all the ethnic groups of Myanmar, in addition to praying and enjoying dance performances.