Delve into our city’s rich culture this September! Witness the enchanting Fire Dragon Dance, bask in the warm glow of the Mid-Autumn Festival, savor the drama of Chinese Opera and world-class queer cinema, and raise a glass for a good cause (or for fun). From traditional celebrations to food and beverage aplenty, make time to rest, recharge, and reset.
Exhibitions
Vital Signs at Tai Kwun
Free entry
Tai Kwun, 10 Hollywood Road, Central, Hong Kong Island
Event page
Step into the captivating world of neon at Vital Signs, an exhibition that celebrates Hong Kong’s iconic visual identity. Designed as an immersive sensory journey, the exhibition guides visitors through the city’s neon-lit streetscapes through time, shining a light on districts such as Causeway Bay, Wan Chai, and Tsim Sha Tsui. See over 20 meticulously preserved and reimagined neon signs, on display for the very first time by local neon heritage group Tetra Neon Exchange.
Centrestage 2023 – Asia’s Fashion Spotlight
8–9 September, 2023Hong Kong Exhibition and Convention Centre, Wan Chai
Calling all fashion enthusiasts! With three thematic zones spotlighting craftsmanship, avant-garde, and urban trends, Centrestage 2023 promises to be an extravaganza of all things fashion and design. In addition to catwalks and showcases, the Young Designer Contest will take place.
Shop Cats of Sheung Wan and Sai Ying Pun Photography Exhibition
15 September–16 October, 2023Mini Hotel, 38 Ice House Street, Central
Free entry
From lounging amid convenience store goods to pilfering dried seafood, Hong Kong’s shop cats are iconic. Celebrating the quirkiest and cutest of Hong Kong’s shop cats, catch photos by Instagram account @sheungwancats in Central.
Zheng Mahler at PHD Group
Until 25 November, 2023PHD Group, Wan Chai
Event page
Zheng Mahler is a collective formed by artist Royce Ng and anthropologist Daisy Bisenieks. The duo’s artwork has previously been showcased at galleries such as Hong Kong’s Tai Kwun, the Museum of Modern Art in Antwerp, Belgium, and Caixa Forum in Barcelona. This will be their first solo exhibition in Hong Kong, featuring new videos and installations in a multi-sensory environment.
Live Music and Performance
Chinese Opera Festival 2023
Until 8 October, 2023From HK$288.00
Event website
With a history spanning over ten centuries, Chinese opera is a traditional form of musical theater that has influenced numerous other forms of performing arts. It combines music, singing, acting, acrobatics, martial arts, and elaborate costumes and makeup to create visually striking performances enjoyed by all ages.
Here in Hong Kong, the 2023 edition of the Chinese Opera Festival will showcase different genres of traditional Chinese opera. The grand finale of the Festival will be a series of performances of traditional Cantonese Opera, which will take place at a large bamboo theatre constructed at Victoria Park. Not in the mood for theatre? Expect talks, meet-the-artists sessions, exhibitions and film screenings as well.
Arts and Culture
Hong Kong Lesbian and Gay Film Fest
8–23 September, 2023From HK$75.00
Official website
Now in its 34th year, the Hong Kong Lesbian and Gay Film Fest is the region’s oldest queer film festival. This year’s festival will feature interactive panel discussions and Q and A sessions with overseas directors and crews.
The opening gala includes two films: Peafowl a South Korean film centered on a trans protagonist, and the American feature Cora Bora, a comedic exploration of self-love. The festival will also highlight important issues, such as challenges faced by LGBTQ+ communities in the continent of Africa, with a special programme titled From Africa with Love featuring three African films.
Traditional Festivals
Mid-Autumn Festival
Known as the ‘moon festival’, Mid-Autumn Festival is a time when Hong Kong takes a moment to honor its roots, celebrate its community, and gaze skyward in appreciation of the eighth full moon of the lunar calendar. Stroll through Victoria Park to witness stunning light installations and lanterns in every hue.
One of the most cherished customs of this festival is the exchange of mooncakes. Traditionally a dense pastry with a hidden treasure of salted egg yolk at their core, you will also find mooncakes filled with red bean and lotus paste. From classic to innovative (think durian, chocolate, tea-infused and more), there’s a mooncake for every mood.
Tai Hang Fire Dragon Festival
28–30 September, 2023Recognised as part of Hong Kong’s Intangible Cultural Heritage, the Tai Hang Fire Dragon Festival dates back to the early 19th century, during the late Qing Dynasty. Legend has it that a plague once afflicted Tai Hang, and to ward off the disease, villagers created a dragon made of straw and covered it with incense sticks, setting it on fire. Miraculously, the plague subsided, and the tradition of the Fire Dragon Dance was born.
Today, the Tai Hang Fire Dragon is a massive dragon structure covered with tens of thousands of incense sticks, giving it a striking appearance. Catch all the action from Wun Sha Street, Tai Hang, a quickly gentrifying neighbourhood that beckons you with contemporary cafes and galleries, and traditional shophouses alike.
Food and Beverage
A Culinary Journey to Egypt with Bobby Chinn
12–16 September, 2023From HK$547.00
The Bayside, One Harbourfront, 18 Tak Fung Street, Whampoa Garden, Hung Hom, Kowloon and F.I.G.S, Shop 601, 6/F, 1111 King’s Road, Taikoo Shing, Above Cinema Floor of Cityplaza 1, Quarry Bay, Hong Kong Island
Purchase tickets
Celebrity chef Bobby Chinn will be touching down in Hong Kong this month. With Egyptian and Chinese roots and a career spanning the globe, Chef Chinn will be cooking up a tantalising menu of Egyptian fare– a cuisine you may be hard-pressed to find in the city’s otherwise expansive culinary landscape.
Better with Beer
15–16 September, 2023From HK$450.00
Central Harbourfront Event Space, Hong Kong Island
Make your weekend better with beer! A new beer festival on the block, Better with Beer aims to showcase the best of Hong Kong’s homegrown craft beer scene. Expect to find well-known labels like Carbon Brews, Deadman, Yardley Brothers and Young Master, to name just a few. Prefer not to indulge? There will be non-alcoholic options available as well.
Negroni Week 2023
Drink for a cause with Negroni Week. A global charity program hosted by iconic aperitif Campari and Imbibe Magazine, Negroni Week supports nonprofit Slow Food’s mission to foster equity and sustainability in the world of food and beverage. How? Through a series of local events at bars, restaurants and retailers around the world, money is raised to support the charity’s worthy mission. Participating bars include heavy-hitters such as Penicillin, The Pontiac, Tell Camellia and COA, which was recently named Asia’s best bar for the second year in a row, among dozens of others across the city and Macau.
The Hoppening
From HK$86.40
Purchase tickets
PMQ, Central, Hong Kong Island
Sample the best of local and international craft beer at The Hoppening. Set to take place in the courtyard of arts and culture destination PMQ, every ticket comes with the a free beer, a cup, a coozie, Happy Hour, and access to the beer garden. Whatever your chosen style and provenance of beer, The Hoppening has you covered.
Sports
Hong Kong Marathon: Registration
Register
Attracting thousands of racers from Hong Kong and all over the world, the Hong Kong Marathon has grown into one of the most popular marathons in Asia. Secure your spot!
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Recommended hotels located nearby
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Tsim Sha Tsui 1.4 km -
Tsim Sha Tsui 1.4 km -
Causeway Bay 1.4 km -
Wan Chai 0.2 km