Countdown to the New Year

Fireworks in Hong Kong

Dazzling fireworks will light up Hong Kong's Victoria Harbor at midnight on New Year's Eve. The display highlights 45 different sparklers in the pattern of cherry blossoms, hearts and smiley faces in the last minute of the show, according to a post on the website of the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB).

The tourism board said that the 10-minute display will begin at 11 pm, with four sessions of the firework show being ignited at an interval of 15 minutes to present the audience a stunning show.

Leung Lok Man, a 24-year-old native of Hong Kong, still remember the first fireworks show she watched by the harbor side when she was 15 years old.

"I love the atmosphere where people jammed together to welcome the new year accompanied by the beautiful fireworks show," she said. "It was exciting and kind of like the 'ball drop' at the New York."

The countdown firework show, with an estimated cost of $1.8 million is free for visitors and set to draw an audience of over 350,000 people, according to Sing Tao Daily, a Chinese newspaper in Hong Kong.

Diversified events except for the fireworks display will also be held in Hong Kong to mark the arrival of 2019, according to the region's tourism board.

Xu Haiyan, who moved to Hong Kong in 2012, said that she was impressed with the festive atmosphere in the city.

"I worked in Shanghai for eight years after my graduation. Though the local government did organize some events in iconic places like The Bund, it is rather different in Hong Kong as you can join the celebrations everywhere, even at a park that is just 10 minutes away from my home," she said.

The 40-year-old said that, "There are some stands selling traditional Chinese artifacts such as paper-cuttings and paintings made from melting sugar, which are really fascinating."