Leisure and Pleasure: Can’t-miss January events in Hong Kong

With the Christmas festivities behind us, it’s time to look forward to the start of a brand new year, and Hong Kong offers plenty of options to ring in 2019. From the International Dragon and Lion Dance Festival and Mickey’s Super Celebration to Abba’s musical hit, Mamma Mia!, and the HKTDC Hong Kong Toys and Games Fair, these are the can’t-miss January events heating up the SAR’s calendar next month.

International Dragon and Lion Dance Festival – 1 Jan
It’s impossible to be lonely over New Year in Hong Kong when the streets are bustling with over a 1,000 dragons, lions, lucky fish and smiling Buddhas, all intent on sharing seasonal greetings. Indeed, visitors from across the world descend on the city at this time of the year, sure in the knowledge that there is no locale more auspicious for marking the onset of a new 12-month cycle. And the good news is that you won’t even have to track down the festivities, with this being one celebration that is so utterly ubiquitous it is sure to seek you out wherever you reside.
Locations vary.

HKTDC Hong Kong Toys and Games Fair – 7-10 Jan
If your kids have been left unimpressed by Santa’s 2018 selection, don’t worry – HKTDC Hong Kong Toys and Games Fair, Asia’s premier event for tiny tot diversions – returns to the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre early in the New Year. Even those lacking a little’un to entertain could do worse than pop along and peruse the show’s growing selection of ‘kidult’ grown-up(ish) leisure aids.
Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, Wan Chai. HK$100.

Hong Kong 100 Ultra Trail Race – 19 Jan
Once again, keen athletes from across the world are set to converge on Pak Tam Chung in order to participate in one of the toughest trail races of the year. A true test of endurance, this is not for the faint-hearted, with the grueling route taking in some of Hong Kong’s most treacherous territories, as well as its most picturesque beaches and verdant forests. While most will fall by the wayside, those with true endurance will make it through to the home stretch – a rapid descent from Tai Mo Shan, the SAR’s highest peak, with a warm welcome, foil blankets and state-of-the-art defibrillators awaiting those who stagger across the finish line.
Race start line: Pak Tam Chung, Tsuen Wan.

Mamma Mia! – 16-27 Jan
Due to unprecedented demand, the international smash-hit Abba tribute musical is extending its stay in Hong Kong. With Lunchbox Theatrical Productions again calling the shots, this hilarious, emotional, uproarious tale of secrets, marriages and misdemeanors never fails to stir entranced audiences into literally singing and dancing in the aisles. With a soundtrack that includes Waterloo, Dancing Queen and the title track, it’s like the ’70s never quite stopped.
Lyric Theatre, Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, 1 Gloucester Rd, Wan Chai. HK$395-995.

Beare’s Music Festival – 16-24 Jan
Looking to suitably mark the 10th anniversary of the launch of the Beare’s Premiere Music Festival (formerly the Hong Kong International Chamber Music Festival), artistic director Cho Liang-lin is promising a truly epic audio extravaganza. In total, 22 musicians will be performing at five concerts in a number of different venues, including the prestigious Hong Kong City Hall Concert Hall and the JC Cube, part of the newly-opened Tai Kwun Cultural Centre in Central. However you like your classical music, there’s sure to be something to get your toes tapping.
Locations vary. HK$189–980.

Pole Theatre – 20 Jan
Pole dancing has, apparently, come a long way from being solely the refuge of dirty old men and desperate young women. Now celebrated for being both healthy and empowering, it is – so rumour has it – being considered as a future Olympic event. Prior to it being elevated to that exclusive pantheon, however, you can judge its artistic merits for yourself when the Pole Theatre competition shimmies its way into town, offering daringly-flexible dancers of either gender the opportunity to prove that the discipline can be every bit as athletic as it is supposedly erotic.
The Hong Kong Jockey Club Amphitheatre, The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, Wan Chai. HK$210–490. (Suitable for over-18s only)

Tai Po RFC Mini Festival – 20 Jan
Hong Kong Rugby Union is looking to its legacy, with its many supporters keen to ensure that the city’s love of the sport endures into the next generation and well beyond. With this in mind, a grand tournament for six- to 11-year-old rugby aficionados will kick off on the 20th, with teams of various ages competing against one another to see who will emerge as the stars of tomorrow. As befitting such protégés, all the games will be held in professional stadiums, with top-flight professionals on hand to coach the aspiring sports stars. Why not come along then and see many of the HK Seven headliners of tomorrow, while they are still only knee-high?
King’s Park Sports Ground, Tai Po.

Disney on Ice presents: Mickey’s Super Celebration – 24-27 Jan
From Minnie Mouse to Moana and Maui, from Fantasia to Frozen, everyone seemingly has a favourite Disney moment. Except, sadly, for Mickey Mouse, Disney’s most iconic ambassador. Join him and his band of chums, however, as he attempts to uncover his own most magical memory from the cartoon kingdom’s rich back story – on ice. With flawless choreography and awe-inspiring musical numbers promised, you’d better get your skates on before the best tickets are all sold out.
Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, Wan Chai. HK$280-880.

Hong Kong Philharmonic x Anthony Lun: The Man Behind the Piano Concert – 25-26 Jan
After a lengthy absence of some 14 years, Anthony Lun, the CASH Hall of Fame Lifetime Achievement Award winner, is reuniting with the Hong Kong Philharmonic in order to deliver a truly mesmerizing take on the best of his back catalogue. For this performance, Lun – a renowned composer, singer and pianist – will be joined by several special guests, including Elisa Chan, Kay Tse and Leung Chiu Fung, who will all lend their vocal talents to peerless renderings of the songs and tunes that have a special place in the heart of so many.
Hong Kong Cultural Centre Concert Hall, Tsim Sha Tsui. HK$280–680.

November Events: The top acts coming to Hong Kong this month

From a family run at HK Disneyland and Arts in the Park for the little ones to musical acts like Guns N’ Roses and the Clockenflap music festival, here’s a round-up of the top November events in Hong Kong.

HK Disneyland 10K Weekend
3-4 Nov

If you’re looking for an easy way to get your kids off their digital devices and outdoors for a day, look no further than the Hong Kong Disneyland 10K Weekend. This annual event is open to participants of all ages and sees a series of Minnie (Mouse) Marathons staged within the walls of Uncle Walt’s Wonderland. While teens and above can sign up for the Incredible 10K and Monsters University 5K, littler ones might be best advised to stick to the Toy Story 3K Family Run, preferably with mum and dad in tow.

Hong Kong Disneyland, Lantau Island. HK$260-550.

Arts in the Park 2018
3-4 Nov

By day, this family-friendly festival offers youngsters a chance to unleash their inner artist with a spot of mask making or a feel-good face painting or two. As darkness descends, though, the event is reinvented as a magical, moonlit parade, complete with dazzling giant-sized doppelgangers of many of the most-loved characters from fairytale favourites, including Dorothy, the Scarecrow and – of course – the Wizard of Oz himself. The Grand Finale grandly commences on Sunday night in Victoria Park, before wending its way through Causeway Bay with its comically cartoon delights.

Victoria Park, Causeway Bay. Free. admission.

Hong Kong International Wine & Spirits Fair
8-10 Nov

Hong Kong’s alcoholic beverage boffins better book their rehab now as the HKTDC Hong Kong International Wine & Spirits Fair returns to the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, clinking ominously all the way. This year, the international imbibery on offer comes courtesy of no less than 1,000 doughty distillers and boldly-going brewers. So, if you fancy supping on Burkina Faso’s second-best bitter or downing several shots of fine Sumatran sherry, downtown Wan Chai is the place to be for at least three days this month.

Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre, 1 Expo Dr, Wan Chai.

Clockenflap
9-11 Nov

The 11th iteration of Hong Kong’s best-loved – and, arguably, only – homegrown music and arts festival is set to rock Central Harbourfront this month. This year’s three-day line-up offers all true alfresco entertainment lovers a chance to enjoy live performances from such notable acts as American rapper Khalid, as well as local breakthrough talents like the Cocoonics. Actually, who are we kidding? The real rationale for risking the now-traditional Clockenflap drenching is the UK’s David Byrne, Mr- Big-Suited-Talking-Head himself. It’s a Once in a Lifetime opportunity. Ah, please yourselves.

Central Harbourfront, 9 Lung Wo Rd, Central. HK$640-1,620.

Oxfam Trailwalker
16-18 Nov

The annual Oxfam Trailwalker sees hundreds of robusty ramblers signing up for this ultimate endurance challenge every year – all 100km of the MacLehose Trail in under 48 hours. Since 1986, more than 100,000 keen trail-pounders – not all of them men amid mid-life crises with a strange love of lycra – have attempted the trail, raising some HK$572 million for Oxfam in the process. Blood, sweat and tears will be shed, but that will mainly just be among the kids dragged along to cheer their deluded dad.

Race start line: Pak Tam Chung, Sai Kung.

Guns N’ Roses – Not In This Lifetime Tour
20-21 Nov

Just two months after Bob Dylan rocked the stage at AsiaWorld-Expo, another of America’s legendariest musical acts will be bawling: “Good evening Hong Kong, do you know how to rock?” If your answer is not likely to be in the affirmative, it may be best to give this outing by Guns N’ Roses – yet another dysfunctional dispenser of disco-unfriendly ditties that vowed never to reunite, then promptly did – something of a miss. In fact, unless you’re in dire need of a little Welcome to the Jungle, why not skip this entirely and spend your hard-earned Hong Kong dollars on a few hours of David Byrne time, 10 days earlier at Clockenflap? You won’t regret it. Trust us on this one.

AsiaWorld-Expo, Airport Expo Blvd, Chek Lap Kok. HK$688-2,488.

Honma Hong Kong Open 2018
22-25 Nov

Golf lovers are undoubtedly keen to get back into the swing as the Honma Hong Kong Open rolls back into town. First held way back in 1959, this teeing-off tournament claims to be the city’s oldest sporting event and has continually lured in an impressive array of golfing greats. This year is no exception with prominent putters such as Patrick Reed, Sergio Garcia and Tommy Fleetwood all heading Hong Kongwards for the occasion. There is even the promise of bouncy castles for your little ones.

Hong Kong Golf Club, 1 Fan Kam Rd, Sheung Shui. Free admission on Thursday and Friday, HK$400- 600 over the weekend.

Symphony Under the Stars
24 Nov

Is there any better way to take advantage of the cooling temperatures than by venturing out to Central Harbourfront for the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra’s annual Symphony Under the Stars concert? Well, assuming you were a bit too late on the Clockenflap front, probably not. Led by the HK Phil’s Musical Director, Jaap van Zweden, an evening of the orchestra’s best-loved pieces set against a backdrop of synchronised skyborne pyrotechnics surely can’t be bad. Especially as admission is free.

Central Harbourfront, 9 Lung Wo Rd, Central. Free admission.

Lumières Hong Kong
29 Nov – 2 Dec

After a highly successful debut with over 500,000 attendees last year, Lumières Hong Kong is returning for its second edition with the promise of even more dazzling light installations and breathtaking art projections. The three-day Festival of Lights, inspired by and created in partnership with the rightly-famed Fête des Lumières de Lyon, will see countless historical landmarks, such as Kowloon Park and Tai Kwun transformed by luminous light displays, designed by 15 local and international artists, none of whom, sadly are David Byrne.

October events: These exciting acts are coming to Hong Kong next month

This month, Hong Kong kicks off with a public holiday and some spectacular fireworks, celebrates Oktoberfest and plays host to some international sporting competitions. All this and more in our round-up of must-see October events to pencil into your calendar.

National Day Fireworks
1 October

October starts in fine style with the National Day celebrations for the People’s Republic of China’s 69th birthday. Not only does the occasion grant over-worked locals a day away from the office, the night’s festivities culminate in the now traditionally-splendid fireworks that light up the sky above Victoria Harbour. Every year, both sides of the harbour are packed to the gunnels with patriotic partygoers as they jockey to secure the perfect spot to capture the pyrotechnics with all the splendour their smartphones will allow. So head out early or you’ll just end up with an out-of-focus snap of the tall bald man in front of you.

Victoria Harbour between Central and Tsim Sha Tsui. lcsd.gov.hk/eo

Beertopia 2018
5-6 Oct

Just five years ago, the very first Beertopia festival opened its doors and Hongkongers have seldom looked sober ever since. Over that time, Hong Kong’s home-grown beer festival has become so popular that CNN has dubbed it ‘Asia’s biggest craft beer event’, while broadcasting thousands of the city’s imbibers looking distinctly the worse for wear. The two-day quaffathon is also accompanied by a wide array of entertainments, including live bands, food trucks and more pub games than you can shake a soggy mole at. Interested parties should book ASAP, as tickets tend to sell out well in advance.

Central Harbourfront. HK$200-485. beertopiahk.com

Hong Kong Tennis Open
9-14 Oct

Some of the biggest names in women’s tennis will be landing in Hong Kong this month in search of on-court victory at the 2018 Hong Kong Tennis Open. Among the 50-odd ladies hoping to rocket to racket-related victory are 2017 French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko, World No.7 Elina Svitolina and China’s top players Zhang Shuai and Wang Qiang. Not only will the winner gain much-valued Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) ranking points, they’ll also get to take home US$500,000 in prize money. Love all? You bet.

Victoria Park Tennis Stadium, Causeway Bay. HK$160-880. hktennisopen.hk/

Puccini’s Turandot
10-14 Oct

While the legendary Italian opera composer Giacomo Puccini (1858-1924) famously penned some of the greatest and most enduring operas of our times – La Bohème and Madame Butterfly spring to mind – perhaps his most intriguing work may just be his last, unfinished composition – Turandot. Now, Hongkongers will have the chance to judge for themselves as this missing-a-few-bits masterpiece – an intricate love story featuring an ancient Chinese emperor and a lovelorn prince who must solve three riddles to win his princess and find true love – makes its SAR debut.

Hong Kong Cultural Centre, 10 Salisbury Rd, Tsim Sha Tsui. HK$150-1,080. ticket.urbtix.hk/

Joy of Music Festival
15-25 Oct

For 10 whole days, the city’s music lovers will be treated to a wide array of performances, master classes and workshops courtesy of the annual Joy of Music Festival. Organised by The Chopin Society of Hong Kong, the event will welcome several internationally-renowned musicians, including guitarist Alvaro Pierri, composer and guitarist Carlo Domeniconi and pianist Giuseppe Andaloro. Attendees will also be treated to live renditions of famous works from some of history’s greatest composers, including Ludvig van Beethoven, Franz Liszt, Sergei Rachmaninov and Joseph Haydn.

Hong Kong City Hall, 5 Edinburgh Place, Central. HK$100. ticket.urbtix.hk/

New Vision Arts Festival
19 Oct-18 Nov

The worlds of visual, musical and performing arts look set to converge in one massive cultural amalgam over the month-long New Vision Arts Festival, which promises ‘a rich array of pioneering artistic endeavours certain to extend your cultural horizons’, if its website is to be believed. Kicking off the itinerary is Tree of Codes, a multi-sensory, multimedia production that blends sculpture and literature with architecture and dance. Fancy. Other highlights include Aqua Sonic, a novel integration of arts and science, and Angel’s Bone, a rock-opera-caberet-chamber music mash-up from China’s first female Pulitzer Prize winner, Du Yun.

Locations vary. HK$100-580. newvisionfestival.gov.hk

Moontrekker 2018
19-20 Oct

The aptly named Barclay’s Moontrekker trail race doesn’t just challenge participants to cross difficult terrain, it also insists that they do so in almost complete darkness. Fiendish. Runners can choose from two distances – the Moonlit 30km and the Sunrise 43km – with only more experienced athletes encouraged to take on the inaugural Phoenix 50km. All cover roughly the same route and the goal is to reach the summit of the 934-metre Lantau Peak in time to enjoy a glorious sunrise. It’s not uncommon for spaces to fill up fast, so register now. As it’s in the dark and set somewhere inaccessible, it may not be the most spectator-friendly of events.

Race start line: Mui Wo, Lantau. barclaysmoontrekker.com/

Giselle
26-28 Oct

This October, the Hong Kong Ballet revisits one of the best loved classical dance productions to ever grace a Fragrant Harbour stage – Giselle. Hailed as among the most challenging ballets ever devised, this particular interpretation pays homage to the original 1841 choreography as laid down by Jean Coralli and Jules Perrot in France. It will also see several internationally renowned terpsichoreans performing alongside the ever-talented Hong Kong Ballet troupe, while musical duties fall to the Hong Kong Sinfonietta Orchestra.

Hong Kong Cultural Centre, 10 Salisbury Rd, Tsim Sha Tsui. HK$140-1,000. hkballet.com

Hong Kong World Sixes 2018
26-28 Oct

Two decades after making its global debut – and five years after its last iteration – the Hong Kong Sixes returns for its 20th edition, promising even more action and entertainment for the city’s cricket enthusiasts. Over the course of three days, 12 teams will battle it out across the course of 28 games to see exactly which side will be awarded the Kowloon Cricket Club’s highest accolade. With discounted children’s tickets available for HK$16 and specially-priced family packages up for grabs, this may just be the perfect activity for the entire family.

Kowloon Cricket Club, 10 Cox’s Rd, Jordan. HK$160-2,600. ticketflap.com/hksixes2018

September Events: What to see and do in Hong Kong this month

From the kick off of the thrilling 2018/19 horseracing season and a comedic parody of Harry Potter to musical acts like The Killers and Jessie J, here’s a round-up of the hottest September events to pencil into your calendar.

2018/19 Racing Season
2 Sept

Once again, all bets are off as the city’s 2018/19 racing season opens at Sha Tin Racecourse, the first of 88 fixtures, together worth a record total of HK$1.22 billion. This season will consist of 47 day meets and 41 night fixtures at one of Hong Kong’s two iconic tracks – Happy Valley and Sha Tin – with the finale scheduled for 14th July next year. Head to Happy Valley on Wednesday nights – with the first race starting at 7:15pm – to enjoy all the excitement of a truly world-class venue.
Happy Valley Racecourse, Wong Nai Chung Rd, Happy Valley; Sha Tin Racecourse, Sha Tin. racing.hkjc.com

Beyond the Barricade
4-9 Sept

Fans of West End and Broadway musicals are in for a treat this month as the critically-acclaimed Beyond the Barricade boldly serenades its way into Hong Kong. With much of its cast fresh from the West End production of Les Misérables, this rollercoaster of a show features all the best bits from Evita, Hamilton, Mamma Mia! and sundry others, concluding with an epic finale freshly filched from Les Misérables. All in all, it’s a splendid opportunity to sing along to all of musical theatre’s best refrains, without the need to keep up with the plot or endure the more ploddy numbers.
The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, 1 Gloucester Rd, Wan Chai. HK$395-695. hkticketing.com

HKTDC Hong Kong Watch & Clock Fair
4-8 Sept

The HKTDC Hong Kong Watch & Clock Fair, together with the concurrent Salon de TE will once again be welcoming more than 830 exhibitors from all across the world, including, for the first time, representatives from Poland and South Africa. The Salon de TE, for its part, gathers 150 prestigious watch brands and designer collections in five themed zones, with the World Brand Piazza expected to be this year’s highlight, all packed with limited editions and rare timepieces. This is one event it would be way too embarrassing to be late for.
Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre 1 Expo Drive, Wanchai, hktdc.com

Potted Potter – The Unauthorized Harry Potter Experience, a Parody by Jeff and Dan
11-16 Sept

Back by popular demand (and courtesy of the Hogwarts Express), Potted Potter steams back into Hong Kong this month, with its wizard performers magically combining all seven Harry Potter books into 70 comical minutes. The hilarious show features all your favourite characters, a fire-breathing dragon and a live-action game of Quidditch. For hardcore Harry fans, this show is a must-see, and even if you don’t know the difference between a Hufflepuff and a Horcrux, it could still work its spell on you.
The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, 1 Gloucester Rd, Wan Chai. HK$395-595. hkticketing.com

The Killers
19 Sept

Having sold more than 25 million albums worldwide and headlined pretty much every festival there is, The Killers – the Nevada band that even out-rocks its home state’s rockiest Rocky – are back in Hong Kong this month and ready to deliver its distinctive brand of heartfelt heartland rock, including such latter-day classics as Mr Brightside and Human, as well as all the latest tracts from Wonderful Wonderful, its most recent Billboard-topping release. Arguably one of the few genuinely exciting Western bands to visit our city in 2018, it’s the evening out that the city’s rock-starved residents have been pining for.
AsiaWorld-Expo, Airport Expo Blvd, Chek Lap Kok. HK$888. hkticketing.com

Jessie J – The R.O.S.E Tour
22 Sept

After taking the world by storm with her mega-hit Price Tag, London-based singer-songwriter Jessie J is set to wow Hong Kong audiences as she brings her latest tour to the city this month. After graduating from penning hits for the likes of Alicia Keys and Justin Timberlake, her own ascension to true pop princess status came courtesy of Who You Are, her platinum-selling debut. Seven years down the line, she’s back with R.O.S.E (Realisations, Obsessions, Sex and Empowerment) though earlier classics such as Bang Bang and Not My Ex are also sure to get an airing.
AsiaWorld-Expo, Airport Expo Blvd, Chek Lap Kok. HK$888. hkticketing.com

Tai Hang Fire Dragon Dance
23-25 Sept

It just wouldn’t be the Mid-Autumn Festival without at least one performance of the ever-thrilling Fire Dragon Dance. This spectacular terpsichorean tradition marks the end of the Tai Hang plague back in 1880, with the pestilence sent packing by a volley of firecrackers. And what better way to remember the occasion than via the services of a 67-metre-long dragon, studded with thousands of burning incense sticks, that weaves its way through Causeway Bay for the best part of a week?
Locations vary, taihangfiredragon.hk

Mid-Autumn Festival and Lantern Carnival
24 Sept

Hong Kong’s Mid-Autumn Festival is, famously, a distinctly modern riff on a centuries-old harvest ritual, one that was once marked by the solemn sacrificing of fresh food to your apparently voracious forebears. Today, it is associated more with mooncakes, shiny lanterns and papier-mâché dragons. Still observed on the eighth full moon of the lunar calendar, the city will again be bedecked with magic lanterns, while the annual carnival will see seemingly compulsory high-kicking kung fu antics, acrobatics, clairvoyants and the odd riddle or two. Cheer up. It’s only once a year.
Locations vary, discoverhongkong.com

Shakespeare’s Globe
25-30 Sept

Shakespeare’s Globe is returning to Hong Kong this month with a company of eight actors performing three of the Bard’s most enduring works – Twelfth Night, The Merchant of Venice and The Taming of the Shrew. For the first time ever, audiences will even have the opportunity to vote for the play they would most like to see as the Audience Choice performance. Whether you’re a die-hard Shakespeare aficionado or new to the works of Master Will, you know where to be (or not to be) when this talented troop once again gives life to his ageless genius.
The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, 1 Gloucester Rd, Wan Chai. HK$395-795. hkticketing.com