Hong Kong's bun festival returns after pandemic hiatus

STORY: At the stroke of midnight, the 12 brave participants scrambled up a 60-foot tower made of buns. The person who successfully retrieved the bun at the top of the structure would bring luck to their family.

Tens of thousands of Hong Kong residents and tourists flock to the tiny island of Cheung Chau to witness a "floating colours" parade. The parade featured "floating" children dressed up as gods and goddesses, and they were accompanied by traditional music and lion dancing as they marched through the island's streets.

Hong Kong had closely followed China's zero-COVID policy until the middle of 2022, when it began to gradually unwind its rules. As a result, the annual seven-day festival on Cheung Chau island, which coincides with the local celebration of Buddha's Birthday, is returning after it was canceled for three years in a row.