Tag: carnival

The Great European Carnival

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The Great European Carnival returns to the Central Harbourfront this winter from the 16th December 2016 – 12th February 2017. As well as games, thrilling rides the midway this year will again feature a stage with a wide range of entertainment.

The Great European Carnival
Date: 16 December, 2016 – 12 February, 2017
Venue: Central Harbourfront
Tickets: $125

The Great European Carnival @ Central Harbourfront

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2015/Great-European-Carnival/i-KNprRL2

The Great European Carnival returns to the Central Harbourfront today for a three month residency. Unlike last year’s inaugural event which took several weeks for all the rides to open, this year’s carnival is almost fully formed – courtesy of seven months of liaison with the relevant departments to get safety and fire certificates etc approved.
The midway is far more engaging this year, there’s more energy, rides and games are closer together and better distributed through the fairground. Compared to last year there are several more rides and a better mix. A couple of new rides are the log flume and the rollercoaster. For those who love to scream, last year’s favourites remain so bring something for those vocal chords! There’s a considerably smaller ice-rink, while the dodgems are still the most legal fun you can have impersonating a HK taxi/minibus driver.

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2015/Great-European-Carnival/i-tx8pGcd

This year’s food court is more compact and right next to the stage area (in the centre of the carnival) so you can sit and eat while enjoying whatever’s on the stage. Castelo Catering, the sole food concessionaire, is again offering big pans of paella ($40) curry and rice ($60), pizza ($60) kebabs ($60/$70) burgers and noodles. Portions sizes are good and while it could never be called gourmet it’s certainly edible and negates any need to bring your own food. Look out to for the English fudge shop, 3 chunks for $30. There’s a distinct lack of places to buy drinks, so on a sunny day bring some water.

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2015/Great-European-Carnival/i-gB7fzQQ

Rides and games are paid for in tokens, and as last year a token costs $10. Food, drinks etc are cash only.

This year’s GEC is a noticeable improvement on last year, even the ‘grass’ is better… But a few unsolvable kinks remain. It’s gonna be busy, so enjoy the queues! The games staff are salaried so there’s no ‘barking’ and hustle as they tout for your business. It would undoubtably be complicated to institute an individual commission system but it would incentivise away the apathy and maybe energise the game staff.

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2015/Great-European-Carnival/i-ksgn9GJ

Great European Carnival
Date: 11am-11pm, 17 December 2015 – 21 February 2016
Venue: Central Harbourfront
Tickets: $125

The Great European Carnival 2016

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The Great European Carnival returns to the Central Harbourfront this winter from the 4th December 2015 – 14th February 2016. As well as games, thrilling rides the midway this year will also feature the unique Udderbelly – a performance venue like no other.

The Udderbelly Festival has already released tickets for some great shows including comedians Rory Bremner, Jason Manford, musicians Gobsmacked, Michael Winslow and shows such as The Boy with Tape on His Face and The Elephant in the Room.

Great European Carnival + Udderbelly Festival
Date: 4 December 2015 – 21 February 2016
Venue: Central Harbourfront
Tickets: various

Saturday Night @ The Great European Carnival

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The rides are working, the games are open, the midways are full, it’s time to have fun!
Click on the photos to see more 

http://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2015/Saturday-Night-TGEC2015/47246732_tWRppp#!i=3852510791&k=pcbVjcg

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http://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2015/Saturday-Night-TGEC2015/47246732_tWRppp#!i=3852518070&k=xtpwP5C

The Great European Carnival Opens Today, Sort Of…

http://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2014/European-Carnival-Media-Day-22/46511057_Gg5vK3#!i=3778838542&k=4t7whS9

For the next 60 days Hong Kong’s harbourfront event space hosts the ‘Great European Carnival’ and to give it’s CEO Micheal Denmark his due – it has potential. There’s plenty of games with lots of stuffed animals and toys to win, a lovely outdoor ice skating rink, a beer tent, a community stage, food (most food stands were closed on the media tour so we can’t comment on the quality of the food) and rides…

And here’s where the problems start, the rides. There are plans for between 25 and 30 rides of all shapes and styles for adults and children alike. On the media tour, none were open – not even the most basic slide. The bumper cars were quiet, the ghosts of the Haunted House under arrest for shopping in Mong Kok… A couple of interesting looking rides were being tested, but most were still awaiting construction.

I know from spending three years working on a traveling carnival in the United States that good carnies can erect or tear-down a ride pretty fast – but these are international rides and new to Hong Kong and getting them safety checked and licensed appears to be complicated. It’s good that government is ensuring the rides are safe, but when they ask “What happens when two bumper cars hit each other…”

10 rides are scheduled to be working today, opening day – but with unbuilt and un-opened rides dotting the midway, the carnival looks like what it is, a work in progress, which is a shame.

http://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2014/European-Carnival-Media-Day-22/46511057_Gg5vK3#!i=3778867149&k=RzDHPMT

Entry costs $125 which includes 10 tokens. Games and rides use tokens – which cost $10 each. All food and beverage is cash only. There don’t appear to be any ATM’s on site. Don’t like waiting, there’s a fast track entry and ride band which costs $600.

The carnival can hold around 12,000 at any time, so at busy times, expect to queue. As I said earlier, the carnival has potential lets hope the organisers can get it fully up and running as quickly as possible, because really, there’s nothing like a day at the fair.

Great European Carnival
When: 11am – 11pm, 23 December, 2014 – 22 February, 2015
Where: New Central Harbour Front
How Much: $125
More info: www.tgec.asia 

http://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2014/European-Carnival-Media-Day-22/46511057_Gg5vK3#!i=3778882716&k=P5ptkTN