This June, immerse yourself in all things culture, and let the creative juices flow. With Tuen Ng or Dragon Boat Festival coming up on the 22nd and an abundance of racing events to spectate (or participate in), June promises to leave you feeling fired up– and we’re not just talking about the blistering hot weather.
Live music and performance
The Bonded City by Secret Theatre
1 June, 2023Entry from HK$799.00
Event page
Site-specific performance group Secret Theatre started in 2008 with a production of Edward Scissorhands in an abandoned factory building in New York. Since then, the company has garnered critical acclaim for its roving and highly interactive theatrical performances, including previous showings in Hong Kong with ‘SE7EN Deadly Sins’, which took place on a doomed speedboat trip to a haunted mansion. Their latest production slated to land in the S.A.R. is The Bonded City, an espionage thriller designed to draw the audience in– literally.
SMOOO DJ Music and Arts Festival
10 June, 2023Entry HK$450.00
Event page
Sink your teeth into Hong Kong’s pulsing dance and electronic music scene at the SMOOO DJ Music and Arts Festival. Hosted at KITEC, the event features an impressive lineup of rising DJs: think feel-good tropical house from Gargoyle Girlfriend, afrohouse by Hallex M and DJMinou4real , and electronic body music (EBM) by various locally based artists.
Cheapo Tip: Use the discount code hkcheapo to enjoy HK$70.00 off (valid from 11 May, 2023).
PROJECT AFTER 6: Mou Man Tai
14–24 June, 2023Event information
PROJECT AFTER 6: Mou Man Tai is a theatrical performance set to take place at ArtisTree, a multi-purpose art venue at Taikoo Place. Written and directed by Lindsey McAlister, the founder of the Hong Kong Youth Arts Foundation, features 36 office executives from across the city sharing their tales of everyday Hong Kong life. This show will be accompanied by choreography and 14 pieces of original music created by BAFTA and Emmy award-winning composer Nick Harvey.
Exhibitions and festivals
Refugee Week 2023
19–25 June, 2023Free entry
Event information and tickets
Refugee Week is an annual open source festival each June celebrating the contributions, creativity and resilience of refugees and people seeking asylum. Founded in 1998 and held every year around World Refugee Day (20 June) in cities across the world, the Hong Kong chapter of the festival will be marking its second year this June. The series, running throughout the month, will feature arts, food, and cultural and educational activities. Events include a fashion show, a zine workshop and launch, as well as a a multi-course vegetarian dinner engaging three cooks from the refugee community, local food experience designer Alison Tan and Ukrainian business Ivan The Kozak.
Sign up to volunteer here.
Hong Kong Illustration and Creative Show
Meet 300 of Asia’s best illustrators and creatives at the Hong Kong Illustration and Creative Show (HKICS). Comprising two interconnected events, the Illustration Fair and Creative Fair, this fest offers an amazing platform to engage with artisans from a variety of creative fields. Browse the diverse array of exhibitors here.
Across Time and Space: Re-visiting Twentieth Century Chinese Oil Paintings
Until 25 June, 2023Free entry
Event page
From intimate interior views to panoramic coastal landscapes, witness rarely displayed Chinese oil paintings at the University of Hong Kong Museum and Gallery. This exhibition features works by iconic masters and influential art educators, including Liu Haisu and Wu Guanzhong, as well as artists who were crucial to the development of the modern art scene in Hong Kong.
French May Arts Fest 2023
The French May Arts Festival celebrates 30 years in 2023. Under the name PULSARTE 2023, the monthlong fair will include performances and events by over 100 artists in a variety of media: dance, theatre, music, art and more. Meanwhile, the Virtually Versailles exhibition at the Hong Kong Heritage Museum will transport visitors to the sights, sounds and scents of Versailles through digital and virtual reality. In addition, French sparkling wines will get the spotlight as part of French Gourmay.
Eating and drinking
Discovering Shochu and Awamori
29 June, 2023Entry HK$590.00
Event page
Up your home mixology game and foray deeper into the world of Japanese spirits with Kuromaru‘s masterclass series. This Wan Chai bar is a shrine to all things shochu, a versatile distilled spirit originally from Kyushu that’s usually made from rice, sweet potato, wheat and/or sugarcane. This interactive event will offer tastings, snacks, and even the opportunity to craft your own shochu highball.
Culture
Tai O Dragon Boat Water Parade 2023
From its historic shrimp paste industry to arguably the city’s most stunning heritage hotel, Tai O boasts plenty of sights and curiosities. In addition, the village also hosts an incredibly special dragon boat event. In fact, it’s even recognised as an essential part of Hong Kong’s Intangible Cultural Heritage. The ceremony involves time-worn religious rituals and a friendly dragon boat race. All in all, the spectacle is worth the hike to this remote part of Lantau.
Sports
Stanley International Dragon Boat Championship
You don’t have to be a big dragon boating enthusiast to see the appeal of the Stanley International Dragon Boat Championship. One of the largest and buzziest dragon boat racing events of the year, watch as hundreds of paddlers compete across five divisions. Apply to participate here.
Hong Kong International Dragon Boat Races
Marking a grand return after a four-year hiatus, the 2023 edition of the Hong Kong International Dragon Boat Races will see thousands of dragon boat athletes gather from around the world. The two-day event will feature intense head-to-heads as world-class paddlers race to the finish line along the Tsim Sha Tsui East Promenade. Expect fans cheering, drummers drumming, and a feverish energy all around!
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