The best things to do in Hong Kong this weekend

Broadway International Group brings the International Tour of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s The Sound of Music to make its Hong Kong stage debut. Catch the heartwarming tale of governess Maria as she joins the family of Captain Von Trapp and his seven children, and ignites their love of music, all set against a pre-World War II backdrop. The original Broadway musical has won Tonys and Grammys over the years, and will be celebrating its 65th anniversary in 2024.

Audiences will also get to hear perennial favourite songs such as My Favourite Things, Edelweiss, Do-Re-Mi, and the title track The Sound of Music. Having been sold out for its seasons in Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, and the soon-to-open Shanghai, make sure to catch the Sound of Music stage production at the Xiqu Centre from April 16 to June 9.

Benefit Cosmetics and tech brand Preface are transforming Preface Coffee & Wine in Central into a 'Pore-tential gaming paradise'! Inspired by Benefit's new Pore Care line, the space features pastel-coloured walls, Insta-worthy photo spots, and three custom-designed arcade machines with games that highlight different Pore Care products. Players who complete all three games will receive a Pore Care trial set and a Benefit cash voucher with a Preface coupon! The highest scorer each day will also win a Benefit travel set, while the highest accumulated score within the three-week pop-up period will receive a full Benefit Pore Core product set worth over $4,000.

Over at the Pore-tential Arcade Coffee Shop, visitors can enjoy a limited-edition menu featuring a Cap-Pore-cino, Pore Over coffee, and Pore-fect Lemonade, plus a Pore Care-themed cupcake trio and savoury potato cakes. The Benefit x Preface Pore-tential Arcade Coffee Shop is open from now until May 6.

As part of their Earth Day programme, Eaton HK will partner with National Geographic Explorers to present a series of interactive sessions and a photography exhibit that all delve into indigenous preservation and archipelago stories – these voices then feed into greater conversations on climate change. On the weekend of April 13, youth groups can participate in workshops ranging from art and tapestry making to photography and even a form of cartography that empowers marginalised groups called counter-mapping. 

To complement these sessions, Eaton HK will also host a photography exhibition called Island Constellations, featuring images captured by frontline and indigenous youth who were given cameras to capture their respective regions. Join a screening of Bigger Than Us on April 21, a documentary produced by Flore Vasseur and actor Marion Cotillard, which follows an Indonesian girl who is an activist against plastic pollution in her country. 

Attendees can register their interest here.

We’re only in the month of April, but Hong Kong’s temperature keeps getting hotter as the days go by. Luckily, Häagen-Dazs has an irresistible offer to keep you cool. From now until April 21, enjoy a buy-one-get-one-free deal where customers can receive two takeaway portions of double scoop ice creams for $72 only. If you can’t stomach that much ice cream in one sitting (or you don’t have anyone to share your sweet treats with), customers can choose to enjoy one portion of double scoop ice cream and receive a voucher to claim their second takeaway ice cream at a later date (valid until May 23); or claim two takeaway ice cream vouchers – all for $72 only. This promotion is available at all Häagen-Dazs locations (except for their Repulse Bay location).

Whisk your taste buds away to Spain with Renaissance Harbour View Hotel Hong Kong’s latest afternoon tea set. Begin your tea experience by nibbling on an array of cold cuts from a cured meat and cheese platter, before moving onto other savoury bites like bikini sandwiches, codfish croquettes, gambas al ajillo, and gazpacho shooters. The hotel’s Spanish tea set also dishes up a curated selection of classic desserts like churros with chocolates, traditional almond cake, Basque burnt cheesecakes, orange-flavoured rice pudding, as well as Spanish nougat.

After a five-year hiatus, Sake Walk returns to provide Hongkongers with an exciting lineup of exclusive sake-focused festivities from April 6 to 27. The festival will invite eight renowned Japanese sake breweries to hold masterclasses and tasting sessions at venues like Ami, Somm, The Aubrey, and Kaen Teppanyaki within Landmark. 

On April 6, attendees can join a masterclass held at Ami, where they’ll get to compare the differences in sake production between Yamanashi Prefecture-based breweries Shichiken and Dan, as well as savour premium sake along with Ami’s canapes such as steamed duck foie gras. On April 12, festival-goers can visit Somm to try a seasonal range of limited-edition sake from Fuji Brewery in Yamagata, and pair them with Somm’s nibbles like beer-battered fried premium oysters or beef short rib char siu.

Step into Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong’s contemporary izakaya, The Aubrey, on April 26 and 27 to learn more about sake production from breweries like Shinshu Meijo, Senkin, Shichiken, and Morikawa Brewery, as well as sample a wide variety of sake with The Aubrey’s bar bites. Finally on April 27, Kaen Teppanyaki will host a masterclass to spotlight Obata Brewery, and provide guests with four signature sake produced on Sado Island, as well as the brand’s award-winning Manotsuru sake. Kaen Teppanyaki will provide a curated selection of teppanyaki-grilled canapes for guests to pair with these drinks. What’s more, Ami, Somm, and The Aubrey will be presenting time-limited sake pairing menus for customers to enjoy throughout April and May.

Portuguese artist Joana Vasconcelos has unveiled her first-ever immersive installations in Hong Kong as part of Swire Properties’ Arts Month celebrations. The artist is known for working with textiles and this new commissioned work is no exception. Enchanted Forest occupies a large room that has been left in the dark while large-scale installations shaped like liquid droplets hang from the above. Showcasing sewing, knitting, and crochet work on leftover fabric from the House of Dior, these elongated orbs illuminated by LED lights resemble textile stalactites and took a team of 60 over six months to create. In a lobby nearby, Valkyrie Seondeok hangs from the ceiling – while the overall shapes of the forest installation is present here, this sculpture is on an even larger scale, and is named after the women warriors of Norse mythology and the first reigning queen of Silla (before Korea was founded).

The highly-anticipated teamLab: Continuous is officially here! As part of the city's Art@Harbour 2024 initiative during Hong Kong Arts Month, international art collective teamLab has set up hundreds of glowing ovoids stretching from Tamar Park all the way to the Central and Western District Promenade. Keep reading to find out when, where, and how you can catch the stunning installations.

When is teamLab: Continuous happening in Hong Kong?

The large-scale installations officially open on March 25 and will be in Hong Kong until June 2. Opening hours are 6.30pm to 11pm daily, with the last entry at 10.30pm.

Where is the teamLab: Continuous installation in Hong Kong?

Visitors will be able to catch the installation at Tamar Park and the Central and Western District Promenade, but registration will be required beforehand to access the lawns on which the installations are placed.

teamLab: Continuous registration details

To access the exhibition lawn area of teamLab: Continuous, all visitors must first register for a timeslot online. The availability of sessions will be updated every Monday at 12 noon for the bookings of the following week. Additionally, at 1pm every day, a limited number of slots for the same day will be released. All bookings are available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Those who have successfully registered will receive a confirmation email with an admission QR code for free entry. Please note that each admission QR code is valid only for the specified session, and entry will not be permitted without a valid QR code. 

Each individual, regardless of age, is entitled to one ticket only. Moreover, each email address is permitted to register for one session on the same date, with each registration allowing a maximum of two persons. Each admission QR code can only be used once. Lastly, it is essential to arrive on the specified date and time as indicated in your booking. Failure to do so will result in the invalidation of the QR code, without the possibility of exchange or compensation.

What can I see at the teamLab: Continuous installation in Hong Kong?

Visitors will have the opportunity to view and interact with two sets of artworks. The Resonating Life which Continues to Stand showcases numerous luminous ovoids spread across the lawns and floating on the waters along the promenade. These ovoids will change colours when influenced by waves, blown by the wind, or pushed by people! The other set of artwork is Resonating Trees, where the surrounding trees at Tamar Park are lit up in various colours in response to the giant glowing 'eggs'.

Here's a quick glimpse of the teamLab installation before you go!

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Following the tremendous success of its Christmas car boot market, Sino Group is bringing the outdoor fair back once again to celebrate Hong Kong Arts Month! Taking place over weekends and public holidays from March to May, the fair aims to nurture young creatives by providing a platform to showcase their artistry, fostering entrepreneurship and creativity. Renowned artists will also conduct live demonstrations on-site, transforming vehicle exteriors into vibrant street art canvases. What's more, visitors will be able to take part in upcycling endeavours and sink their teeth into all kinds of inventive and photo-worthy culinary creations – don't miss the themed games and activities over the Easter holidays!

Don't miss the grand debut of illuminate! Run Beyond at the brand-new Wan Chai Harbourfront Event Space (WCHES)! Showcasing the renowned 'Run Beyond' art light installation by Italian artist Angelo Bonello, WCHES will light up Hong Kong's skyline with a series of large-scale light silhouettes running, jumping, and leaping through the air in dreamlike surrealism. Visitors of all ages are welcome to visit the 65-metre-long artwork completely for free from March 29 to April 28, 3pm to 10.30pm.

This spring, Green at Hotel Icon presents diners with an afternoon tea set that’s chock full of exquisite strawberries sourced from Japan. The Butterfly Dome afternoon tea set not only showcases five rare varieties of Japanese strawberries, but also provides over 10 desserts that incorporate the decadent fruit. Diners can begin by nibbling on appetisers like baked abalone with strawberry jam, French foie gras pâté with Canadian crab meat and air-dried Japanese strawberry, and strawberry gazpacho shooters. Select your desired entree from options including grass-fed steak with strawberry honey sauce, penne seafood ragu with strawberry and tomato sauce, or Atlantic red snapper fillet with strawberry caper sauce. Finally, savour a wide range of strawberry-infused sweets like green tea tiramisu, lychee rose crème with apple cheesecake, panna cotta, and many more.

Experience the vibrant world of American artist Ken Kelleher at Airside in celebration of the city's Art March. Making its grand debut in Hong Kong, Kelleher's Monsters in the Universe installation show features a towering five-metre inflatable Starhopper and QuantumLeap, characters from Kelleher's Sky Bunnis series, alongside The Fuzz and The Monstrous Marvels creations welcoming visitors at the mall's Atrium. Engage in interactive experiences, including a projection game, take snaps inside the photo booth, and try your luck on the claw machine. Before you leave, don't forget to get your hands on exclusive merchandise at the pop-up store and delicious themed bites from Honbo's food truck. 

Immerse yourself in a world of colours as Harbour City invites renowned French artist Camille Walala for 'Planet Walala @ Harbour City', a vibrant public art show featuring two large-scale public installations and a solo art exhibition. 

Highlights include the first-ever Hong Kong City Sign titled 'Now You See It Now You Don't',  a permanent artistic landmark that stands 6.5 meters wide and 3 meters tall. The sign, located at Ocean Terminal Deck, echoes the unique silhouette of our city and uses blue – inspired by the harbour – as its primary tone. Adjacent to the sign is an outdoor maze called 'A-Maze'. Spanning an impressive 3,500sq ft, this interactive installation features various seatings scattered throughout, allowing you to take a moment to reflect and get lost in the vibrant surroundings.

To complement the installations, Camille Walala will host her first solo art exhibition 'Metropolis' at Gallery by the Harbour, where you will have the chance to see up close the artist's charming use of bold colours and playful geometric patterns.

From March 21 to April 21, Harbour City will also organise an array of thrilling activities to engage visitors of all ages – stay tuned for more details coming your way very soon!

Discover the fusion of art and community at the TypePop Show hosted by Gate33 Gallery (3/F) at Airside. As part of Hong Kong's Art Month, this exhibition showcases the creative works of 10 contemporary artists, including Katol Lo, Jonathan Mak, Chi-wing Lee, Adonian Chan, and more. Expressing art through words, they weave together stories of Hong Kong's sentiment, culture, and history, focusing on the neighbourhoods of Kowloon City, San Po Kong, To Kwa Wan, and Wong Tai Sin. Don't miss the chance to immerse yourself in large-scale installations and interactive works that capture the essence of these historic pockets of Hong Kong until June 12. 

Step into the weird, wacky, and wonderful world of acclaimed British artist Gary Card at his first large-scale solo exhibition in Hong Kong titled People Mountain People Sea. Gary's diverse talents span painting, sculpture, illustration, graphic design, and set design, having worked with some of the biggest artists and designers from around the world. For this exhibition, Gary was inspired by the vibrant fusion of East and West cultures in Hong Kong. Using various objects and elements he's observed during his visits to the city, Gary has crafted a series of bold and unique artworks to transform the historic Oi! Warehouses into a multimedia art space, where animation and sound merge to create an immersive visual and sensory experience. Visit Oi! Street Art Space between now and July 28 to his works and be sure to snap pics of the giant outdoor sculpture on the Oi! Lawn.

With upcoming art festivals like Art Basel and Art Central taking place in the city, vegetarian restaurant Jaja joins the fun by releasing their Taste of Arts afternoon tea set. This artsy tea set is full of colourfully decorated desserts like mushroom-shaped meringues, raspberry chocolate dipped croissants, rose-shaped mousse, and plenty more. As for savoury treats, diners can look forward to bites such as mini margherita pizzas, one-bite deep fried risotto balls, and maki sushi.

Celebrate the fifth anniversary of the Centre for Heritage, Arts and Textile (CHAT) with their exciting Spring Programme 2024, Factory of Tomorrow. From now to July 14, immerse yourself in a fascinating group exhibition that showcases CHAT's contemporary art collection and newly commissioned works. With artworks by 19 Asian artists, the exhibition explores the role of textiles in Hong Kong's past while delving into the present and future. Through textile works, sculptures, immersive installations, and videos, artists examine themes such as technology, diversity, climate change, and our collective future. Additionally, be sure to experience new elements like the Misfitted: Unspoken Stories of Tailoring display, the interactive Illumin-Loom, as well as the reopening of the CHAT Lounge.

This year marks a century since the birth of Dr Louis Cha, better known by his pen name Jin Yong, the literary giant who wrote numerous hit martial arts novels that earned a place among classic Chinese literature. Starting from March 15, there will be a range of events and exhibitions that pay tribute to Jin Yong’s work and legacy, as well as to create unique cultural intellectual property that tells Hong Kong stories.

‘The World of Wuxia’ at Edinburgh Place will present 10 sculptures of Jin Yong’s most iconic characters, created by sculptor Ren Zhe. Apart from figures of Xiaolongnü, Yang Guo, Abbess Miejue, the Golden Wheel Monk, and more, there will also be a Mongolian yurt inspired by The Eagle-shooting Heroes, where visitors can recreate famous scenes with audio guides and AR technology. A larger exhibition of Ren Zhe’s sculptures will also be on show at the Hong Kong Heritage Museum in Sha Tin from March 16 to October 7, along with seminars, talks, immersive experiences, and a manuscript display.

As the birthplace of Jin Yong’s wuxia novels, Hong Kong has always been known as a city of diverse peoples and cultures. The organisers of his centennial events have therefore collaborated with international institutions and foreign consulates in Hong Kong to create interactive artistic experiences that promote Jin Yong’s novels as a way to appreciate Chinese culture and tell Hong Kong stories. While most Hongkongers will already have vivid shared memories of Jin Yong and his famous works, younger generations can now also be  introduced to these literary classics.

Spring has arrived, and despite the unpredictable mix of warm, cold, and often humid days, those in search of the perfect outdoor ambience can venture to The Repulse Bay. Asian restaurant and lounge Spices launched a new music series, Bayside Beats, to liven up the midweek slump. Happening every Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday from 6.30pm to 9.30pm, along with delicious Asian bites and drinks, the event features an array of musical talents against the restaurant’s lush, cosy outdoor terrace with stunning sea views. Attendees can look forward to a mix of live jazz saxophone, DJ sets, and band performances, all while enjoying tropical drinks and tasty Asian delicacies. Make it your after-work escape or a full evening’s entertainment under the stars at this iconic Southside venue.

The lineup of performances offers something for everyone. Jazz aficionados will be thrilled with Oliver, a sought-after jazz saxophonist known for his performances at The Peninsula's Felix, who will take the stage on Wednesdays. Thursdays feature DJ Matthew Osborne, a favourite in the local scene for his eclectic and sophisticated mixes. The week wraps up on Friday with the Spice Trio, a group beloved for their renditions of pop, soul, and R&B hits.

To celebrate the grand opening of the new Wan Chai Harbourfront Event Space, the 13,300sq m venue will turn into an 'A-Maze-ing Harbourfront' featuring five themed mazes that will transport visitors into a world of immersive art and adventure.

Fusing elements of creative art, entertainment, and Instagrammable spots, each maze offers its own unique theme and experience suitable for visitors of all ages. The Time Maze will take you through a time-travelling tunnel using light and shadow, while the Infinite Mirror Maze allows visitors to view their endless mirror reflections and admire the beautiful Hong Kong skyline. Other mazes include Lost in the Woods, which draws inspiration from the iconic bamboo scaffolding structures of Hong Kong; Light Box Maze, featuring colourful lighting effects; and Air Maze, an inflatable maze specially designed for the little ones with various obstacles and hidden passages.

Mark your calendars for March 15 as the 'A-Maze-ing Harbourfront' opens for 10 consecutive days from 7am to 11pm. Best of all, admission is completely free of charge!

We’re delighted to see Sophia Hotung, one of our Future Shapers interviewees, exhibit her latest works in a solo show. Having been bedridden as a result of her autoimmune diseases, Hotung slowly began to re-explore the city’s roads, sidewalks, traffic junctions, and walkways, and was struck with inspiration one day when the song 42nd Street from the eponymous musical came up on shuffle. “It made me imagine the people around me launching into intricate tap dances or sweeping waltzes,” she says.

Hotung’s 10 original artworks combine her love for musicals with her love for this city, transforming passers-by into the cast of musical theatre ensembles set against the backdrop of locations all over Hong Kong, such as the Happy Valley Racecourse, Cheung Chau, and the steps on Duddell Street. If you’re anything like us and have always wanted to randomly break out into a huge song and dance number in real life, no doubt you’ll enjoy this exhibition at Wyndham Social as well. 

Read our interview with Sophia Hotung here.

It took artists K-Narf and Shoko three years to create an archive of portraits of Japanese workers back in 2016, and the duo are now expanding their project overseas, including Hong Kong. The exhibition will be split into two parts: the first consists of a presentation of this photographic project, while the artists collect portraits of Hong Kong workers. After a two-month gap, they will then return to WKM Gallery to present all the pictures that were taken in the city as well. This is a good chance to understand the tape-o-graph photographic method that was invented by one of the artists more than 15 years ago, as well as a look into the workers whose day-to-day lives we barely acknowledge but are contributing to history in the making.

Hong Kong audiences will be able to enjoy the 2023/24 season of The Metropolitan Opera of New York (The Met) from the comfort of our city’s own cinemas. This season opens with the Met premiere of Dead Man Walking by Jake Heggie, and will also include two other contemporary premieres, X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X by Anthony Davis based on the life of the American civil rights leader, and Florencia en el Amazonas by Mexican composer Daniel Catán.

Don’t miss brand-new productions of repertoire classics like Bizet’s Carmen, whose story has been reset in modern-day America, and Verdi’s La Forza del Destino in its first rare appearance at the Met. We’re also looking forward to revivals like Gounod’s Roméo et Juliette and Puccini’s Madama Butterfly starring soprano Asmik Grigorian in her Met debut as the lead Cio-Cio San.

The Foundation for the Arts and Music in Asia (FAMA) is bringing these works to a Hong Kong audience with The Met: Live in HD 2023-24, to be shown across the city at Emperor Cinemas in Central, K11 Art House, Movie Movie in Pacific Place, and Premiere Elements. Each production will be screened at approximately monthly intervals until the end of the year, and the viewing schedule is available on The Met in Hong Kong’s website. Tickets are priced at $290.

After the overwhelming popularity of The Peninsula’s collaborative afternoon tea with the Star Ferry, the hotel returns with their Afternoon Tea on the Harbour experience until June 30. Diners can hop aboard a lavishly decorated World Star ferry and enjoy a sumptuous afternoon tea package as they sail along Victoria Harbour. The Peninsula’s tea menu provides plenty of savoury bites, such as abalone tart with seaweed cauliflower mousse, ham and mustard seed sandwich, smoked salmon and avocado spread sandwich, and more. As for desserts, guests can indulge in treats like milk tea choux puff, fermented bean curd and peanut brownie with milk chocolate cream, and the hotel’s signature raisin scones with clotted cream and strawberry jam.

The iconic singer and actor Anita Mui needs no introduction in Hong Kong. Since we’re approaching the end of the year, which marks the 20th anniversary of her passing, the Hong Kong Heritage Museum has organised an exhibition that celebrates Mui’s many achievements in music and film, as well as her remarkable contributions to Hong Kong’s pop culture.

Browse through 70 exhibits such as stage costumes, record covers, movie posters, film stills, and more. The prominent fashion designer Eddie Lau – who worked with Mui through the heights of her career and remained a lifelong friend – has generously donated 20 pieces to this exhibition, including eight stage costumes from different eras of Mui’s musical journey, as well as an autographed vinyl record.

There will also be a range of special programmes and public talks to complement the exhibition, including a screening of the 1988 movie Rouge, for which Mui won Best Actress at the Golden Horse and Hong Kong Film Awards.

Hong Kong escape room, Lost, has joined hands with Lego to present Hong Kong's first-ever Lego themed escape room. Inspired by the Lego City sets, Lost brings the vibrant landscape of the Lego City Police Prison Island to life. With two distinct storylines, players (aged six and above) can either become inmates and find ways to escape prison, or take on the role of prison guards to investigate and prevent the jailbreak. Both rooms incorporate the use of Lego bricks to activate various mechanisms.

Book your tickets from Feb 1 to Jun 30 at Lost's Causeway Bay branch or the Lost Junior New Town Plaza location in Sha Tin. Each ticket also includes a $50 redemption coupon to redeem a special Lego souvenir! 

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M+ Museum’s new thematic exhibition aims to explore the connection between landscape and humanity in our post-industrial and increasingly virtual world. Literally translating to ‘mountain and water’, shanshui is a Chinese cultural concept that has inspired Asian ink paintings across millennia. Almost 130 works split into nine thematic sections will reimagine landscape through art, moving images, sound, design, architecture, and other large-scale mediums from a range of international artists, architects, and creators.