After a four-year covid enforced break, the Tourism Board have announced that the Hong Kong International Dragon Boat Races will return to Victoria Harbor on 24-25 June.
Online registration for dragon boat teams will be open from 10am on 20 March on the Hong Kong China Dragon Boat Association website.
Dragon Boat Carnival
Date: 24-25 June, 2023
Venue: Off Tsim Sha Tsui East Promenade
Tickets: Free
images: HK Tourism Board
After a sold-out weekend, Clockenflap have announced a second festival in 2023 on 1-3 December. No bands have been confirmed.
Clockenflap
Date: 1-3 December, 2023
Venue: Central Harbourfront
Tickets: tbc
image: clockenflap
After the individual creativity of Art Week, the wonders of team creativity are on display as Rugby Week 2023 scrums down.
Unfortunately, the traditional rugby week curtain-raiser Kowloonfest has been postponed again until 2024 – the old and venerable taking longer to recover and reboot post covid.
This year’s action starts with, perhaps the best rugby of the week, the Hong Kong 10s at Hong Kong Football Club on Wednesday 29 March. Proper scrums and brutal power forward play are features of the Tens, especially on Thursday night. It’s perhaps the closest we in Hong Kong can get to seeing modern rugby up close and personal. Select teams packed with talent and big names, new and old, from around the world put a physicality and rawness to images seen on television that really needs to be experienced in person.
Amidst the Sevens partying, a rugby tournament takes place… After November’s empty stadium, harsh crowd restrictions and drab atmosphere – can the Sevens recover its allure as one of the world’s great sporting/social events?
Here are the dates for your Rugby Week 2023 diary.
Kowloon Fest
When: postponed to 2024
More info: www.rugbyfest.org
Hong Kong Tens
When: 29-30 March, 2023
Where: Hong Kong Football Club
How much: $120
More info: www.hkfc10s.com
HK Sevens
Date: 31 March – 2 April, 2023
Venue: HK Stadium
Tickets: $1,950
More info: www.HKsevens.com
The art world focuses on Hong Kong in March with three exhibitions bringing thousands of art pieces from emerging and established artists.
As the old cliche goes ‘one man’s art though is another’s trash’ and you’ll wonder exactly what the attraction of some pieces are – but there’s enough variety that you’ll likely find a few things to discus, enjoy and perhaps even buy.
Art Central
A contemporary art fair in the heart of Hong Kong with over 100 exhibitors showcasing the next generation of talent alongside some of the most established galleries from across Asia.
Art Central
Date:22-25 March 2023
Venue: Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre
Tickets:$275, $225, $175 from HKTicketing
More info:
23 March: 2-5pm / 5-8pm
24 March: 12nn -4pm / 4-8pm
24 March: 12nn -4pm / 4-8pm
25 March: 11am -3pm / 3-6pm
Art Basel
Many of the world’s leading modern and contemporary art galleries display paintings, drawings, sculptures, installations, prints, photography, film, video, and digital art by over 4,000 artists.
Art Basel
Date: 23-25 March, 2023
Venue: HK Convention and Exhibition Centre
Tickets: $1,560, $1,290, $1,020, $850, $600, $530, $430, $320, $280 from HKTicketing
More info:
22 March: 5-9pm
23 March: 2-8pm
24 March: 2–8pm
25 March: 12 noon–6pm
HK Art Week 2023
Date: 22 – 25 March, 2023
Venue: HK Convention and Exhibition Centre
Tickets: Free, tbc
The latest changes to Hong Kong’s drug control laws – Cap 134 Dangerous Drugs Ordinance – take effect on 1 February when cannabidiol (CBD) will be criminalised and treated the same as heroin, cocaine and methamphetamine among some 200 substances classified as “dangerous drugs.” The government today reminded HongKongers to dispose of any CBD items they may have by the end of January.
“It is a tradition that families will clean their homes before the Lunar New Year, so it is a good time to throw away any CBD products to avoid violating the new law, which will soon take effect after the Lunar New Year holiday,” a government spokesperson said today.
Under the new law, possession and consumption of CBD will be subject to a maximum penalty of seven years imprisonment and a fine of HK$1 million. The penalties for the trafficking and illicit manufacturing of CBD are a maximum penalty of life imprisonment and a fine of HK$5 million.
“It is a tradition that families will clean their homes before the Lunar New Year, so it is a good time to throw away any CBD products to avoid violating the new law, which will soon take effect after the Lunar New Year holiday,” a government spokesperson said today.
To celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region the Hong Kong Tourism Board has announced a special edition of A Symphony of Lights. The Hong Kong Harbour Fiesta will run daily throughout July from 8pm – 8:10pm.
https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2022/202207-Hong-Kong-Harbour-Fiesta/i-HBcMZ8h
https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2022/202207-Hong-Kong-Harbour-Fiesta/i-NV8Gsnw
https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2022/202207-Hong-Kong-Harbour-Fiesta/i-vpDBN7w
images: Hong Kong Tourism Board
James Ockenden’s “ghost bikes” project remembers the nine cyclists who lost their lives on Hong Kong’s roads last year. White painted bikes with white silk flowers and a memorial card with details of the person who died were placed at each of the fatal accident spots.
Ockenden, who organised the ghost bike memorial after the annual Ride of Silence 2022 was made a virtual event, said of the people who died – I think it is important to remember that these accident victims were not racing, but just getting around in an easy and environmental-friendly way, and we should be supporting that as a community.
The Ride of Silence is an annual international bicycle ride that pays tribute those killed or injured when cycling on public roads. The ride had been held in Hong Kong on the third Wednesday of May for the last 16 years.
After the 2021 memorial ride organised by the Hong Kong Cycling Alliance, the police accused riders of violating Covid-19 social distancing rules and ticketed everyone.
The Ride of Silence 2022 livestream https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9NBihAt2Pao
Ride of Silence 2022
Date: 7pm, 18 May, 2022
Venue: Hong Kong
Tickets: Free
images: hkghostbikes
After months of watching films from your sofa or on your phone, it’s time for some big-screen surround sound entertainment as local cinemas will reopen from 21 April, albeit at 50% capacity.
So what’s there to see, that you might haven’t watched already at home/need to be seen on a big screen:
The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent
Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore
