April showers bring May flowers! And sure enough this sultry May, Hong Kong’s event calendar is abloom. From art exhibitions to the much-missed spectacles of the Tin Hau and Cheung Chau Bun Festival, there’s an abundance of exciting events for all. Artsy Cheapos rejoice: the Affordable Art Fair is back in town, too!

Sports

BOC Life 6th Trampoline Asian Championships 2024

From HK$100.00
11–12 May, 2024
Tsuen Wan Sports Centre, New Territories
Book tickets online

Is trampolining a sport? It sure is, and an exciting one at that.

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Hosted by The Gymnastics Association of Hong Kong the BOC Life 6th Trampoline Asian Championships 2024 is set to take place at the Tsuen Wan Sports Centre from May 11th to May 12th, 2024. This marks the first time the Trampoline Asian Championships will be held in Hong Kong. Over 150 top trampoline athletes from 12 Asian countries and regions will compete, including Hong Kong, Japan, India, Singapore, Kazakhstan and more. The event features three main categories: the 6th Trampoline Senior Asian Championships, the 6th Trampoline Junior Asian Championships, and the Asian Trampoline Age Group Competition.

Exhibitions and Festivals

French May Arts Festival 2024

The 2024 edition of the French May Arts Festival offers a diverse array of cultural events celebrating French heritage and promoting cultural exchange. Highlights include The Hong Kong Jockey Club Series: Noir & Blanc — A Story of Photography, featuring black and white photographs from European and Asian collections. Collaborations in music, theatre, and dance include performances by Thierry Maillard, Eugene Pao, CY Leo, Nicolas Kerszenbaum, Wu Ho Fai, and Compagnie Käfig. The festival encourages audience participation with workshops and interactive experiences, such as Dance Reflections by Van Cleef & Arpels and French Rendezvous@Tai Kwun. There will be nearly a hundred programmes to choose from!

Tram Tales: 120 Years of Hong Kong Tramways

Riding the tram in Central
Riding the tram in Central | Photo by Chris Kirkland

The tram is arguably the most pleasant way to explore Hong Kong Island: naturally temperature-controlled, historic, and of course, cheap! Celebrate the legacy of the iconic Hong Kong tram, now 120 years old, with a trip to this free exhibition.

Memories of Our Days: Heritage of Mei Ho House

Free
Until 30 June, 2024
Block 41, Shek Kip Mei Estate, 70 Berwick Street, Sham Shui Po, Kowloon
Official event page

Mei Ho House has its roots in a tragic event: the Shek Kip Mei Fire of 1953, a devastating blaze that left nearly 58,000 people homeless. In response to this crisis, the government constructed the initial batch of resettlement blocks. Among these blocks stood Mei Ho House, marking the beginning of public housing in Hong Kong.

Today, Mei Ho House offers a museum, cafe, souvenir shop, and charming heritage hostel. In this new exhibition, there will be interactive exhibits including sound effects, motion sensing games, and augmented reality to bring its rich history to life. There will be public guided tours in three languages: Cantonese, Mandarin, and English. Prior registration not required.

Arts and Culture

Affordable Art Fair 2024

Photo by Affordable Art Fair

This May, the Affordable Art Fair (AAF) returns to Hong Kong. Priding itself on having the best hand-picked affordable art in Hong Kong, priced at under HK$100.00, the AAF will showcase works from 90+ local and international galleries. Local galleries including (but not limited to) Oi Ling Antiques, Tanya Baxter Contemporary, Art Projects Gallery, Blink Gallery, Young Soy Gallery, Fine Collectibles, and Tung Gallery will represent artists from Hong Kong. Whether you’re a first-time buyer on a Cheapo budget or a connoisseur looking to spice up your collection, the AAF promises to have something for everyone.

teamLab: Continuous

Photo by teamLab, Resonating Life which Continues to Stand © teamLab

International art collective teamLab needs no introduction. Having made a name for itself with interactive installations featuring creative plays with light and sound, the group is now set to host two new artworks in Hong Kong.

Cheung Chau Bun Festival 2024

Arguably Hong Kong’s quirkiest cultural event, Cheung Chau’s iconic Bun Festival is set to return this May! Legend goes that Cheung Chau suffered a devastating plague about a century ago. The villagers prayed at Pak Tai Temple, the oldest and most important temple on the island, and carried statues of deities through the streets to ward off evil spirits. To celebrate the end of the plague, the Bun Festival was born.

At midnight on the third day, the famous ‘bun scrambling’ event takes place in front of the Pak Tai Temple. Watch well-trained competitors race to scramble up a 20 metre tower covered with buns, collecting as many of them as they can in three minutes. Don’t leave the island without a bun of your own, stamped with the Chinese character for ‘peace’ and filled with sesame, lotus, or red bean paste.

Buddha’s Birthday 2024

The Tian Tan Buddha in Hong Kong
The Tian Tan Buddha in Hong Kong | Photo by iStock.com/SAKDAWUT14

The birthday of Lord Buddha is one of the largest Buddhist festivals in Hong Kong, as well as being a public holiday. Buddhist temples all across Hong Kong, including the iconic Tian Tian Buddha on Lantau Island, hang lanterns, burn incense, and give offerings in preparation for the big day.

Shopping

Temple Street Night Market

Temple Street, Kowloon

Photo by Nikada/E+ via Getty Images

A foodie destination and fortune-teller haunt, Temple Street has been revamped, and now offers classic night market vibes. Experience a multicultural food market at the new and improved market, stretching from Jordan Road to Nanking Street.

Food and Beverage

Hong Kong Whisky Festival 2024

Do you love whisky? Good news: the Hong Kong Whisky Festival is back. From vintage treasures of the 70s and 80s to exclusive rarities like a 17-year-old sherry from The Glenlivet and a 36-year-old Jamaican rum from Invergordon, take part in tastings of exclusive whiskies from around the world. There will be two days of masterclasses led by brand ambassadors and industry experts, and each ticket comes with a commemorative lanyard and Glencairn whisky glass.

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