People headed to the Lam Tsuen Wishing Tree in Taipo on Wednesday, a traditional event on the first day of Lunar New Year.

It's believed that throwing a placard with one's wishes, and a mandarin, onto the tree will make the wish come true.

"I wished everyone good fortune, good health and for wishes to come true. And for a better year. Everyone went through Covid over the past few years, I hope everyone's luck will improve every year. My grandson successfully threw the placard onto the tree on his first try. It's the first time, we got so lucky," said a man surnamed Pang, who arrived at around 9 am.

A boy surnamed Pang said it took him four times to make his wish.

"I threw the placard a few times before it landed on the tree. It's so difficult. The wind affects where it lands, and it falls off. I had to jump to make sure it hung on the tree," he said.

"I wished for better exam results because my scores are bad. I hope I get better grades in Maths, English and Chinese. I also wished to go to Japan because the place has a lot of food and things that I like," he said.

Sophie, who's originally from England, said she came early to avoid the crowds.

"We thought it was going to be very busy. We made a wish on the tree, and we put a wish in the lotus pond as well. On my card, I said I wanted a year of adventure and fun. I've only lived in Hong Kong for four months, and I have lots to learn about this beautiful city," she said.

Tourism minister Rosanna Law was also at the venue. She wished for Hong Kong athletes to achieve good results in all competitions.

Speaking to the press, she said she hoped tourists would enjoy a happy Lunar New Year in Hong Kong.

"We have a float parade tonight, fireworks for tomorrow, horse racing on the third day, and the Lunar New Year Cup on the fourth day. There's also a lot of activities at temples, and today is also a great day for hiking. I believe everyone will spend a happy Spring Festival in Hong Kong," Law said.

This year, the Lam Tsuen Well-wishing Bazaar has been scaled up, with a Tai Po district council member saying it will boost the festive atmosphere and local economy.

The event, introduced last year, starts on Wednesday and runs until February 12.

Speaking on a RTHK programme, Lo Hiu-fung said he expected an increase in footfall of at least 10 percent this year.

"We saw a lot of nearby residents and tourists coming to the bazaar at night, last year. So this year, we decided to host the event again, and we made it bigger. The number of food stalls have doubled to more than 20," he said.

He said the event would again feature floats this year.