Things to do in Hong Kong this week
Want to plan ahead and fill up your calendar for the next seven days? Discover the biggest and best things to do in Hong Kong from Monday morning to Sunday evening with our ultimate list. From the latest restaurant openings and the best art exhibitions in Hong Kong to pop-up events and free community classes, we’ve got you covered for the rest of the week. And if you're looking to get some fresh air after a long day at work, why not fit in a hike on a weeknight?
This week's best events
A Pop Up Show by Jonathan Jay Lee
Taiwanese-American illustrator Jonathan Jay Lee showcases a series of his vibrant and tech noir-esque illustrations of Hong Kong, where he is now based. Presented on the walls of Chez Trente, a craft beer shop that doubles up as an art space, the works invite you to see our city through Lee’s comic-style lenses and witness Hong Kong’s unique mash-up of cultures and influences.
Art of the Wild
Celebrate the art and music of 1980s New York with a three-day party hosted by Potato Head Hong Kong and Perrier Jouët at Central Pier 7. Conveniently timed during Hong Kong Art Week, Art of the Wild features sunset sessions that last until the early hours of the morning. Featuring an international line-up of DJs replete with installations and digital amplifications from Berlin-based graffiti artist Nomad. Each ticket comes with a glass of Perrier Jouët with additional champagne, cocktails and Indonesian bites for guests to indulge in.
HKWalls
Hong Kong’s biggest street art festival is back! Taking over the streets of Wan Chai district, HKWalls features an exciting lineup of events including live painting sessions by top local creatives and international graffiti artists, as well as a pop-up print exhibition. Be sure to check their Facebook page for updates on locations and events during the festival!
Hong Kong Arts Festival
Get ready for critically acclaimed stage performances, stunning dance pieces and sensational musical renditions all packed into a single month. Back for its 47th outing, the festival features more than 160 shows around Hong Kong, including Touching the Void, staged by Tony Award-winning theatre director Tom Morris, and a concert led by Brazil’s revered São Paulo Symphony Orchestra.
Hong Kong International Film Festival 2019
It can be tough getting tickets for Asia’s oldest film festival – have those credit cards ready when booking finally opens later this year, usually around early March – but that’s because the array of films screened at HKIFF is almost always stellar.Highlights already announced for 2019 include a retrospective of pioneering Chinese actress Li Lihua – star of Storm over the Yangtze River and the first winner of two Golden Horse Best Actress Awards – and a look back at the work of the Fifth Generation of Chinese filmmakers, a group that includes the likes of Zhang Yimou, Chen Kaige and Zhang Junzhao.Screenings take place across the city from the likes of the HK Arts Centre in Wan Chai to The Metroplex in Kowloon Bay, so be sure to check locations as well as the times films are showing.
Kaws: Holiday
For anyone who’s been missing the presence of the colossal rubber duck, the hugely popular public art in 2013 by Dutch artist Florentijn Hofman, you can keep your eyes peeled for another giant float making its way to our shores. Renowned American artist and designer Kaws is bringing a 37m long, monumental inflatable sculpture of his signature character, Companion – think of it as a morbid version of Mickey Mouse – to Central Harbourfront. Reclining on its back and with Xs for eyes, the floating sculpture Kaws:Holiday, invites Hongkongers to join Companion to lie back and relax, or amuse themselves with the image of what is essentially is a gigantic dead mouse left adrift on Victoria Harbour.
Mami
Infusing graffiti art and hip-hop elements into the ancient art form of shodo, Japanese artist Mami’s calligraphy works, or as she calls it “calligraf2ity”, have captivated audiences all over the world. You can see the contemporary calligrapher in action at a special live painting performance on March 21 ahead of her Hong Kong debut exhibition.
Paws by the Sea 2019
Get ready for the first ever Hong Kong Seaside Doggie speed-dating – yes, you read that right – an event for all dogs and dog-owners at Link’s Stanley Plaza. Bring along your pups and doggos and help them find the love of their lives. On March 31, a Doggie Wedding Gown Exhibition and Design Competition will take place, where owners can design a unique wedding dress for their pets and dress up them as a model in the catwalk (or should we say, dogwalk) show. There’s more – there will be dogs-in-waiting who are looking to be adopted into new families. Look forward to many fun activities for owners and their four-legged best friends to test their teamwork skills. It’s going to be a paw-fect day out.
Taste of Hong Kong 2019
Asia’s finest food and drink producers come together at Taste of Hong Kong to bring visitors an amazing four-day festival. The event features dishes from some of the city’s best restaurants, including John Anthony, Old Bailey and Chôm Chôm. And with fantastic drinks and live entertainment, this exciting event should satisfy any foodie!
Hong Kong Flower Show
You know spring is officially here when the Hong Kong Flower Show is back. Organised by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department to promote horticulture and the awareness of greening, see hundreds of thousands of floral lovers from Hong Kong and all over the world converge to Victoria Park to admire all the flowers in full bloom. With this year’s theme centered around Chinese hibiscus, expect a wide palette of colours and flowers and have your cameras ready. Be on the lookout for a wide range of activities including music and cultural performances, floral art demonstrations, greening activities workshops and photo competitions.
