Intro:

Hong Kong marks the annual Dragon Boat Festival.

Hundreds came down to Aberdeen Harbour to watch the colourful races take place.

Script:

Hundreds of people flock to the shores of Aberdeen Harbour in Hong Kong to watch the annual dragon boat races.

They're the highlight of the Dragon Boat Festival, one of the most colourful Chinese celebrations of the year.

Dozens of local and international teams race the elaborately decorated dragon boats to the beat of heavy drums.

The special boats, which measure more than 10 metres in length, have ornately carved and painted "dragon" heads and tails and carry a crews of 20-22 paddlers.

Also known as Tuen Ng Festival, the event commemorates the death of Qu Yuan, a popular Chinese national hero who drowned himself in the Mi Lo River over 2,000 years ago to protest against the corrupt rulers.

Legend says townspeople attempted to rescue him in their dragon boats, beating drums and paddles to scare fish away and throwing dumplings into the sea to keep them from eating Qu's body.

Today, celebrants honour the event by eating traditional rice-and-meat dumplings wrapped in bamboo leaves while others swim or dip their hands in the water.

After the races the boat crews attended a ceremony to receive special flags in honour of their efforts.

And everybody taking part gets wet...no matter what.