Lunar New Year flower markets open, early shopper snap up seasonal blooms

All 14 Lunar New Year flower markets across Hong Kong opened today.

While the morning crowd was still light, some early shoppers were eager to pick the festive items ahead of the Chinese New Year.

At the opening day of the Lunar New Year fair at Victoria Park, some kindergarteners were taken to the site to soak up the festive vibes -- and learn a little about the New Year tradition.

The kindergarten principal said the children were brought to the market not just to experience the festive spirit, but also to learn about ways to handle money.

By mid-morning, many stalls were in full swing, showcasing orchids, daffodils and other popular New Year blooms.

Shoppers were already picking their floral favourites with some splurging on peach blossoms for good fortune.

This shopper set the budget to within 2,000 dollars, adding that the peach blossoms are stunning this year.

Some vendors said first-day sales were slightly slower than last year but they remained optimistic.

Dry goods stalls were buzzing as well.

Many items featured Year of the Horse motifs and students got hands-on experience running their own businesses.

This university student said the business group designed many products themselves and kept prices reasonable.

They would give discounts to buyers if they win the stall's games.

Adding some star power to the festivities, a bank invited international celebrity Chef Ahn Sung-jae -- one of the judges for a popular TV cooking contest, to kick off their stall's opening.

Ahn said, "I can feel the vibes that everyone enjoying themselves, it's nice weather, I mean who else doesn't want to be here? Cause in Korea, Lunar New Year is when we usually spend time, that's not many festivals or fairs like that."

The markets will run for seven days with overnight opening on Lunar New Year's Eve and continue until 7 a.m. on Lunar New Year's Day offering a full week of colour, tradition and festive cheer.