The 2012 Carnival in Tiger Hill Park will be inaugurated on Jan 23 (lunar New Year’s Day) to celebrate the Spring Festival.

It will last 15 days and go on until Feb 6 (Lantern Festival Day). Themed as “Enjoy yourself at Tiger Hill with dancing dragons and tigers”, the carnival aims to bring about delights for tourists during the Spring Festival.

Activity schedule:

I. Time

Jan 23 (lunar New Year’s Day) – Feb 6 (Lantern Festival Day) (total 15 days)

II. Venue

Suzhou Tiger Hill Scenic Spot

III. Organizers

Suzhou Tiger Hill Scenic Spot Management Office

IV. Objectives

1. Set New Year atmosphere, enrich tourism content.

2. Exhibit folk custom, attract potential tourists.

V. Surroundings

1. South Gate ticket entrance – Decorated archway greets visitors with good fortune. A large decorative picture with Chinese character “Fu (Blessing)” hangs in the center of the archway, implying that tourists will meet good fortune when they enter the Tiger Hill Scenic Spot.

2. South Gate passageway – The west side of the passageway contains two screens composed of rattle drums. A big drum is inserted in the middle, bearing a pattern of “dragon world”. The east side of the passageway is decorated with high pole lanterns and all sorts of auspicious brass plates to greet tourists.

3. Duanliang Hall – The main hall eave had big red lanterns hung with four Chinese characters meaning Greeting Happy New Year to add up the festival atmosphere.

4. Uphill road – The uphill road is lined with 10 high pole lanterns. Each of the high poles is decorated in the middle with the Chinese character, Fu, for blessings. Also hanging is a red golden edged lantern to establish a royal atmosphere. One lantern features magpie to greet spring and the other lantern shows lotus patterns to imply family reunion.

5. Bubo Pavilion – The northern side wall is decorated with square lanterns at the lattice windows and a circular auspicious pattern with the Kylin Sending Child theme is carved in the middle. Big red firecrackers render New Year festivities and hang from two sides.

6. Sunwu Drill Square – The drill ground retains the temple fair settings of 2011 with two large vertical drums on the sides. The middle of the platform has three revolving doors with Spring Festival pictures attached for heavenly god blessings. The beam of the platform hangs lanterns with Chinese characters for blessings and to echo the theme.

7. Northern Gate of Tiger Hill Park– Decorated with Chinese knots, traditional Chinese handicraft and red lanterns to add to the festivity atmosphere.

VI. Specific activities

1. Tourists may take group photos with cartoon dolls of the God of Wealth at the southern gate entrance.

2. Visitors can buy snacks at the three stalls and a mobile vendor along the uphill road.

3. Performance of Pipa, a 4-stringed Chinese lute, will be put on at Bubo Pavilion.

4. At one side of the Sunwu Drill Square is a booth set up to sell Dragon Year souvenirs and silk strips printed with all blessings. Tourists may hang the blessing strips in trees to pray for the New Year.

5. Dragon Ball Battle entertainment facilities will be established at the Imperial Tablet Pavilion for recreation.