Things to do in Hong Kong this weekend
No plans for the weekend yet? Don’t worry! Here you’ll find the best events taking place from Friday night through to Sunday, along with the finest art galleries, museums and our ultimate guide to the best things to do in Hong Kong.
The best things to do in Hong Kong this weekend
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.
Tim Yip: Blue – Art, Costumes and Memory
Acclaimed Chinese visual artist, film art director and costume designer Tim Yip, who is probably best known for his Oscar-winning contributions for Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, presents his first large-scale solo exhibition in Hong Kong. The show, curated by Mark Holborn, is separated into 3 stages, bringing to life Yip’s multidisciplinary works along with his collaborations with some of the world’s best filmmakers. Marvel at stunning, over-the-top costumes presented in various settings, immersive film art and a robot named Lili.
Fo Tan Open Studios
Get first-hand experience and up-close views of the creative process of local talents at Fo Tan Open Studios. The Sha Tin neighbourhood is home to more than 50 artists’ studios incubating more than 100 homegrown talents including painters, sculptors and fashion and jewellery designers. Usually held every January, the popular open day is organising a special Art Month edition where the public can meet the artists in person and get their hands dirty at a wide variety of workshops. Ones already scheduled include ceramic pottery, 3D model making, fabric sculpture making and many more.
Hong Kong Beach Fives
Asia's biggest beach sporting festival is returning to Repulse Bay Beach! This is the only event in Hong Kong where you can particiate and catch in five different exciting sporting matches on the same beach, including rugby, netball, dodgeball, volleyball and Red Bull global five-a-side football competition the Neymar Jr 5s. Applications are now open for anyone who wants to join in – there’ll be tons of goodie bags for all particiapnts. Or if you just want to support the team, there are also entertainment for kids, shopping and food stalls in between all the action.
Harbour Arts Fair
Who says Hong Kong Island gets to have all the fun? The biggest art fest in Kowloon this March, Harbour Arts Fair showcases exceptional contemporary Asian artworks with a sea view to boot. Visitors can have fun room-hopping while appreciating an array of paintings, sculptures and photographs. Special exhibitions will also spill over into Harbour City – we won’t judge if you sneak in some shopping while you’re there.
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.
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.
Art Central
Whether it’s because of the harbourside locale, the open grass space for food or its ever-expanding diversity of works on display, Art Central’s popularity continues to be on the rise. A relaxed and less stuffy affair than Art Basel, this waterfront art fair is also known for its live performance art. This year sees four new interactive performances from leading contemporary artists from the Asia-Pacific region, including a cup noodle restaurant and conversations with a “ghost”. Also look forward to edgy, urban and contemporary artworks presented by more than 100 international galleries, as well as six specially commissioned large-scale installations.
Hong Kong Whisky Festival
The Hong Kong Whisky Festival is back and bigger than ever. Now in its fourth year, the 2019 festival will showcase more than 1,000 whisky expressions from over 100 distilleries. There will also be dozens of masterclasses to join, each led by whisky experts from around the world. And here’s something really special: Scottish distillery Clynelish has produced a single malt whisky, distilled in 2010 and then aged for nine years in a barrel cask, just for the festival this year. There are only 60 bottles available, but you can drop by Tiffany’s New York Bar now to score one for yourself.
Art Basel Hong Kong 2019
Undeniably Hong Kong’s biggest annual art event, Art Basel returns on March 29 for its sixth edition and three-day takeover of Hong Kong Convention Center featuring masterpieces and contemporary artworks from 242 leading international galleries. People from all walks of life, from first-time visitors to A-List celebrities – be on the lookout for regulars like Leonardo diCaprio or David Beckham – converge in Wan Chai to make a turn at Art Basel to admire and discover weird and wonderful works. While it’s literally impossible to check out every piece of artwork, the fair is never boring. Last year saw Jeff Koons’ inflatable sculptures, Jaume Plensa’s mind-bending monumental installations and bizarre live performances of actors carrying out random acts with everyday objects. Let’s see what happens this year.
