There is so much going on each month in Hong Kong. From shopping to shows to kids’ activities, here’s our list of what’s new and happening around the city this season for all the family.
Unleashing the Arts
From ballet and opera to flamenco and theatre, the Hong Kong Arts Festival is back for its 52nd year! The festival will feature international and local acts across more than 40 different programmes celebrating the theme “Years in Bloom”. Find the full schedule of incredible performances at hk.artsfestival.org/en.
Art Week is Back
- Art Basel’s 2024 Hong Kong edition (28-30 March) will feature 243 galleries from 40 countries and territories, with a plethora of dynamic city-wide events and activities to shed more light on the rich art scene of Asia and beyond. artbasel.com/hong-kong
- Art Central is a cornerstone event, showcasing the next generation of talent in the art world. This year, it will take place on the iconic Central Harbourfront in a designed structure overlooking Victoria Harbour, from 27 to 31 March.
Introducing WestK FunFest!
This annual arts festival is hosting over 150 free and ticketed experiences in the West Kowloon Cultural District from 16 March to 7 April. Highlights:
- Sydney-based design studio Atelier Sisu’s light and sound installation Ephemeral has visited over 40 regions worldwide. From 22 March to 7 April, don’t miss this rainbow-hued bubbles and line-up of pop-up dance, a cappella, brass bands, juggling and mime performances.
- From 29 March to 7 April, everyone is welcome to come together for a 10-Minute Dance Party, in an interactive space with tunes spun by teenage DJs!
- In the theatre show ZOOOM, help a lost star find its way home during a child’s imaginary adventure of music, lasers and projections.
westkowloon.hk/en/westkfunfest
Art That Won’t Break the Bank
This May, find some beautiful pieces for your home or enjoy exploring the world of art, style and creativity at the Affordable Art Fair Hong Kong. Held in the Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre, the Fair will feature loads of contemporary art along with new programmes and installations. Oh, and the thousands of artworks on display are all under $100,000!
affordableartfair.com/fairs/hong-kong
Community Connections
This year marks the 70th anniversary of the Australian Association of Hong Kong! The warm and welcoming community started in 1954 and since then has been committed to connecting people and creating friendship networking opportunities, while also providing the chance to join social and sporting activities. Membership is open to all!
Join in this year at ozhongkong.com.
Uncovering Hong Kong
You could spend a lifetime discovering the interesting layers of Hong Kong. So to start you off, join one of the small group tours run by Angel, a local who is passionate about her home. Angel’s upcoming explorations include immersive experiences in Sham Shui Po and at the Aberdeen Dragon Boat Festival and Tai O Hau Wong Festival. All tours can be found at hkgreeters.com/group tours, and you can find out more by following @explore_hongkong.
Book Lovers, Listen Up!
The Hong Kong International Literary Festival returns from 4 to 10 March showcasing emerging and established writers and their love of storytelling. The Young Readers Festival schools programme will also run concurrently, ensuring a fantastic time for bookworms of all ages. Expect a week filled with panel discussions, book talks, literary lunches and dinners, readings, workshops and performances at venues across the city.
Get Ready to Ruck and Roll!
The Hong Kong Sevens is a weekend of thrilling rugby, electric entertainment and non-stop revelry! Thirty years after its launch, 2024 marks the final hurrah at the iconic Hong Kong Stadium before the event relocates to Kai Tak Sports Park next year. From 5 to 7 April, join the whirlwind of a tournament and see the world’s greatest players perform one last time at this legendary venue.
History of a Harbour
The Hong Kong Maritime Museum (HKMM) has opened a special exhibition (until 15 May) focusing on the unique story of Victoria Harbour through the history of the vessels that plied its waters and their passengers. There’s everything from sampans, ferries and motorboats to working vessels like lighters, tugboats and barges. Enjoy the collections of photos, paintings, historical documents, ship models and talks, plus interactive elements, like getting a photo with a life size reconstruction of the old motorboat ticket booth, and a multimedia game “Travel by Walla-Walla” where you can charter a motorboat in a bygone era!
Worried about Web Fraud?
There’s been plenty of discussion about web fraud lately, so we’d like to draw your attention to a government website that can help you to see if you have been targeted by an online scammer. All you need to do is put some details into the search bar of this website: cyberdefender.hk/en-us.
A Few of Our Favourite Things
The international tour of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s The Sound of Music will premiere on 16 April at the Grand Theatre of the Xiqu Centre. The beloved story of a governess called Maria who enters the lives of widowed Captain Von Trapp and his seven children, reintroducing them to music at a difficult time before World War II, is produced by the Broadway International Group. It’s a family musical about love, compassion, hope and survival.
Easy Access to Overseas Products
Missing some of your favourite everyday products from back home? Spot On Dealz is an online retailer that sources high-quality products from Europe, the UK, Japan, Korea and elsewhere and offers them right here in Hong Kong. Expect to find beauty and skincare items, cleaning products, furniture, electrical appliances, snacks, seasonal goods and more, which you can shop online, with free delivery for purchases of $250 or more. Spot On also has a physical store in Kowloon Bay with exclusive offers on children’s toys, household items and electronics, starting from just $10!
Special offer: Expat Living readers can enjoy 12 percent off at Spot On by using promotion code Expat12 (T&Cs apply).
More Wild Critters!
Hot off the success of Bugs of Hong Kong, author Robert Ferguson has released his latest book, a captivating guide to the remarkable wildlife found in HK. Did you know that there are 130 known species of dragonflies alone in our midst? Find out more interesting facts and scientific detail in Wild Creatures of Hong Kong, presented in a handy reference format. There’s a page for each animal including key identification features and stunning colour photos. Buy it from The Lion Rock Press, Bookazine and Robert’s website, wildcreatureshongkong.org
An Upcoming Mall
New shopping and office development AIRSIDE will have a soft opening in Q3 this year, featuring a 1.9 million square-foot skyscraper with 32 floors of office space and a 700,000-square-foot shopping mall. With a focus on sustainability, the mall offers visitors a one-stop shopping experience with convenient transport links and amenities including premium retail stores, F&B outlets, art and culture spaces, a cinema – even an indoor surfing centre! The mall is also pet friendly with dedicated dining outlets, stores and green spaces for fur-kids. Find out more at airside.com.hk.
VIP Club in Central
Recently opened on Lyndhurst Street in Central is Whale Club, an exclusive members-only club featuring VIP rooms, a bar and gallery, and a cigar room. Described as a private “playground” of luxe escapism in the heart of Hong Kong, members can kick back and enjoy plush comforts, like-minded company, culinary experiences, themed events, art and NFT showcases, game-playing and private celebrations – something to cater to every whim! Individual and corporate membership plans are available.
Visit whaleclub.vip or call 2506 0880 for more information.
Greener Transport
After two years in the making, the first pure electric public minibus from EV Dynamics has commenced service in Hong Kong. The APEX Mini is one of eight new models of electric minibus selected by the government for a trial of 40 minibuses across HK. It’s estimated there are around 3,000 Public Light Buses in operation, and despite some converting from LPG to diesel, they are still major air polluters in our crowded streets. The new minibus is the first pure electric, fully accessible public minibus in a new era of eco-friendly and socially inclusive public transportation. And that can only be good news!
Holistic Fitness
Renowned founder of Cookie DPT and CARBON, Wil Fang, has joined forces with three leading figures in the local fitness industry (Jess Shih, Soojin Leu, and Dan Yeung) to open holistic wellness destination Renation. Far from a regular gym, the expansive studio on the third floor at H Code in Pottinger Street, features four distinct areas, all designed to provide holistic offerings catered to different facets of wellness and health. At one end of the space, “Recycle” is dedicated to rhythmic cycling, and at the other, “Recondition” offers strength and conditioning classes. “Recover” offers an area to rest and stretch with the help of physiotherapists and sports masseuses and “Recharge” is a juice and smoothie bar where you can enjoy a signature Spirulina Colada and other healthy treats.
Find out more at renation.com.
Tales of India
Bhakti Mathur, author of the bestselling Amma, Tell Me series of children’s picture books, has released her fifth book in the series: Amma, Take Me to the Taj Mahal. This time, Amma, Shiv and Veer take the reader on a historical tour of the Mughal empire that led to the creation of the renowned Taj Mahal. Through questions and anecdotes, Amma tells her boys the stories of Babur’s invasion, Akbar’s great reign, and Shah Jahan’s undying love for Mumtaz, while peppering them with interesting titbits about what it took to create the architectural marvel. Available at Bookazine HK.
A Tribute to Hong Kong!
Premium stationer and gift brand The Lion Rock Press has launched the latest in its range of luxury 1000-piece double-sided jigsaw puzzles. Entitled “Tribute to Hong Kong”, the puzzle was created by The Lion Rock Press Founder Claire Yates alongside art therapist Katie Flowers, by cutting phrases and images from The South China Morning Post’s Post Magazine (diligently saved by Claire’s grandparents every week). The resulting collage depicts defining moments, forgotten details and unique idiosyncrasies in the form of icons, characters, street scenes, wildlife, well-loved foods and other familiar memories of Hong Kong from over the years.
Find it at online at thelionrockpress.com.
Take your shopping sky high
Cathay has opened its first experiential retail space bringing together everything you love about travel and lifestyle. Located in Hong Kong’s Cityplaza shopping mall, browse a whole range of carefully selected and special edition products including Cathay branded merchandise. When you shop in-store you can earn miles for your next trip. Use the Cathay app to scan the product QR codes, add the items to your shopping cart and select your preferred delivery or store pick-up option. Pay using Asia Miles, cash or a combination of both.
Read more here.
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