Performances of intangible cultural heritage from artists of both the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong Special Administrative Region have been highlighted at the Sik Sik Yuen Intangible Cultural Heritage Lantern Festival, in the SAR's Wong Tai Sin district.

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The three-week festival, running through to Oct 6 since its launch on Sept 15, covers the National Day of the country, the Mid-Autumn Festival, and the birthday of Legend Wong Tai Sin, according to organizers of Sik Sik Yuen and the Intangible Cultural Heritage Office of Wong Tai Sin District Office.

Celebrations have included large-scale lantern displays; art performances on national heritage items; an exhibition on Hong Kong's items inscribed on the National List such as workshops and lectures with different themes; and a youth parade in celebration of the National Day among others.

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Special performance stages erected at the open square have drawn artists from Zhejiang, Sichuan, Guangdong and Hubei provinces. HK artists have also given performances of Cantonese Opera; ballad singing to music; traditional lion, unicorn and fire dragon dances during the period.

According to organizers, performances of intangible cultural heritage items are to carry on from Sunday to Oct 1.

Sik Sik Yuen itself is a site of intangible cultural heritage. The Wong Tai Sin Belief and Customs, Hong Kong's religious folk belief, has developed a combination of religious and charity characteristics, and is widely spread among domestic and overseas Chinese communities.

The Wong Tai Sin Belief and Customs was formally included in the Fourth Batch of National List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of China in 2014, the first time a belief of Hong Kong has been made a national intangible cultural heritage.