Things to do in Hong Kong today
The day's best things to do in Hong Kong including free and cheap activities, concerts, festivals, exhibitions, parties and more. It's your social emergency savior.
Today’s best events
Audrey by Bob Willoughby
Audrey Hepburn is undeniably one of the greatest Hollywood icons of all time, and while we can still experience and witness her beauty and talent on film, Hollywood photographer Bob Willoughby has managed to capture her effervescent charm and shows an intimate side to her life. Celebrating what would have been Hepburn’s 90th birthday and marking a decade since the passing of Willoughby, this rare photography exhibition (and a first in Hong Kong) features an outstanding selection of some of Willoughby’s most memorable photos of Hepburn.
Hong Kong Book Fair
The city's annual literature extravaganza is back again this July. Head down to pick up the latest popular fictions or catch up on your summer reading and purchase books in bulk. As usual, there’s a theme of this big calendar event and this year is no different. The festival is diving into the world of sci-fi and mystery this year, and will feature multiple lectures and book signings throughout the week-long event, as well as appearances by internationally renowned writers and literary heavyweights including bestselling Canadian author Steven Erikson (July 18; 3pm-4.30pm), emerging British author Will Dean (July 19; 3pm-4.30pm), World Fantasy Awards-nominated young British author Emma Newman (July 19; 6pm-7.30pm) and Swedish author Carl-Johan Forssén Ehrlin (July 20; 6pm-7.30pm). Make sure you register for a seat here ahead of time! Other highlights include seminars Speculative Fiction with Natasha Pulley (July 17; 7pm-8.30pm), Reality vs Fantasy: How to Develop Imagination? with Bernard Werber (July 21, 6pm-7.30pm) and How South Asians Helped to make Hong Kong with Mark O’Neill (July 22; 6pm-7.30pm).
Sergey Melnitchenko: From Dusk Till Dawn
Sergey Melnitchenko previously worked in China as a nightclub dancer. During his time there, he created a body of documentary and conceptual art photography and almost 100 of which, will be showcased at this exhibition. Capturing an intimate view of Chinese society from the perspective of an outsider and fleeting moments of the everyday life of the average people, Melnitchenko’s award-winning series provides a rare glimpse of the world behind the backstage of a nightclub.
Our Toy Stories
Woody and the rest of the gang of Toy Story 4 has taken over Harbour City! In celebration of the latest instalment of the Pixar series, the popular Tsim Sha Tsui is bringing the toys to life with a themed carnival featuring game booths and challenges, a mini art exhibition, kids’ workshops, an interactive digital game, as well as a pop-up store. Also be on the lookout for a Toy Story themed pop-up dessert store and photo spot presented by Hong Kong Disneyland.
Fuerza Bruta Wayra
The internationally-acclaimed immersive theatre experience, Fuerza Bruta Wayra, heads to MGM Cotai this summer. The show famously throws out the rulebook, boasting no seats, no fixed stage and photos are absolutely encouraged, audience members are as much a part of the event as the performing troupe. Combining the acrobatic agility of Cirque du Soleil with the electric energy of an EDM festival, Fuerza Bruta Wayra promises a high-octane evening unlike any other night at the theatre you’ve had before.
Chinese Opera Festival
Cantonese opera was once the most popular art form in our city and our greatest cultural export. This two-month-long festival pays tribute to that. The celebration brings to Hong Kong a diverse range of performers including theChina National Peking Opera Company and Shanghai Jingju Theatre Company, who will showcase the different styles and unique charms of regional Chinese opera.
International Arts Carnival 2019
The annual family-friendly festival is back again. The carnival puts on an array of performances all over town, providing great opportunities for family bonding. Expect everything from a stage production of The Little Mermaid featuring whimsical sets and puppets and a musical adaptation of Oscar Wilde's short story, The Nightingale and the Rose. Perfect to keep the kids busy this summer.
Toy Story & Pixar Pals Summer Splash
Make a literal splash at Hong Kong Disneyland’s summer event – the Pixar Water Play Street Party. Bringing together all the popular Pixar characters, including the likes of Woody from Toy Story, Joy and Sadness from Inside Out, Russell and Dug from Up, as well as The Incredibles, look forward an array of new floats as characters on it splash and spray water to the crowds during the parade. It’s certainly a way to cool down.
Murakami vs Murakami
Charming both fine art and mainstream audiences worldwide with his cute and psychedelic works, which often feature colourful flowers with smiley faces and original characters like Kaikai and Kiki, eccentric Japanese artist Takashi Murakami returns to Hong Kong for a major survey exhibition. The exhibition will be taking over all the art galleries at Tai Kwun, showcasing more than 60 paintings and sculptures in an immersive setting that explores the multi-faceted work and life of Murakami. Those range from large-scale post-apocalyptic works to interpretations on classical Japanese paintings and Buddhism to his creative collaborations, including the character Doraemon. Also at the exhibition are some of the artist’s iconic and outlandish costume designs, video works, samples of his private art collection and the artist’s spectacular wall and floor art.
SummerFest
Summer is officially here and that only means the return of Central Harbourfront SummerFest. This year, the 68-day festival features a wide range of 30 large-scale events and the city’s first-ever Smartizen Park, which showcases the latest technologies and demonstrating how new technologies are being integrated into our daily lives. Some highlights to look forward to include the large-scale Sound Color Stone exhibition, showcasing more than a hundred pieces of stone art paintings by various artists from around the world, and Pure Playground, an all-out outdoor yoga party. Best of all, everything’s free.
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