Explainer | Unsure how to spend your Easter public holiday? Hong Kong offers carnivals, markets and a dash of culture
- Hong Kong has launched a dozen high-profile arts and culture events this month as part of ‘Art March’ drive, coinciding with an earlier-than-usual Easter break
- Revellers can hunt for eggs in Discovery Bay, join a block party in Wan Chai and sample a performing art festival in West Kowloon
Hong Kong will start its extended Easter weekend on Good Friday this week, offering egg hunts, carnivals and markets, all while contending with a spot of bad weather.
The holiday has come early this year, coinciding with a string of arts events under the government’s new “Art March” campaign that includes eye-catching installations, fun activities and cultural tours.
The Post lists out what revellers can do in Hong Kong over the holiday.
What can I do during Art March?
Hong Kong has launched a dozen high-profile arts and culture events this month as part of the campaign, installing giant glowing egg-shaped objects across Victoria Harbour and hosting art fairs to attract thousands of visitors.
The line-up includes Art Central’s return to the Central Harbourfront from Thursday to Sunday, with the Hong Kong event’s ninth edition showcasing artworks from more than 90 of Asia’s most innovative galleries.
A popular dining terrace will make a comeback for the event, offering food and drinks organised by hospitality group Black Sheep.
Art Basel will be hosted at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre in Wan Chai. The event will run from Thursday to Saturday and involve more than 240 galleries from 40 countries and territories.
Those heading to the waterfront near Admiralty’s Tamar Park can also enjoy the view of 200 brightly lit egg-shaped objects as part of the “Continuous” art installation.
The pieces each measure three or five metres in height and are the result of a collaboration between the Leisure and Cultural Services Department and Japanese brand teamLab, an interdisciplinary group of artists formed in 2001 in Tokyo.
Revellers can see the installation dotted across the land and harbour waters, while witnessing the pieces change colour and emit different sounds when touched.
The event is free to the public and open between 6.30pm and 11pm daily until June 2.
For those keen to make the most of their time at the harbour, take a ferry to Tsim Sha Tsui and see paintings from famed artist Vincent van Gogh projected onto the Clock Tower when it chimes every hour.
The multisensory “Voyage with Van Gogh” installation will show famous works such as The Starry Night and be accompanied by music composed by local artists. The event starts on Thursday and finishes on May 31.
The Tourism Board has also organised the “Arts in Hong Kong Harbour Tour”, which covers visits to different art events at the harbour, all while accompanied by a guide and riding the Chinese junk boat Dukling.
Visitors can register at the board’s visitor centre at the Tsim Sha Tsui Star Ferry Pier for free.
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What about Easter egg hunts?
Hong Kong is also offering a spate of festive events, including weekend bazaars, carnivals and traditional Easter egg hunts.
Foragers can head over to Tai Pak Beach for Discovery Bay’s annual egg hunt, complete with a carnival offering bouncy castles and game booths.
Over in Wan Chai, hospitality company Pirata Group will host a block party on Star Street in Wan Chai on Saturday. Visitors can enjoy brunch, hunt for eggs and paint a few too, as well as get their picture with the Easter bunny.
The newly restored Cheung Chau Cinema will hold its own festive market over the weekend, while Metroplaza in Kwai Fong is offering a bazaar, complete with goodies such as milk tea and local snacks.
The West Kowloon Cultural District is hosting its own “FunFest” performing art festival for families, offering indoor and outdoor activities around the Art Park, Freespace and the Xiqu Centre.
The event boasts an interactive multimedia children’s theatre, interactive dance parties, workshops and a performance inspired by the lives of Kowloon City’s Thai community called “Little Thai Forever”.
How’s the weather forecast?
The Hong Kong Observatory is expecting wet weather over the holiday, so revellers should bring along their umbrellas.
The forecast for Friday is sunny intervals with showers, with more rain and isolated thunderstorms expected over the weekend. The city’s relative humidity is likely to reach a high of 95 per cent.
Temperatures between Friday and Monday will fall to between 23 and 28 degrees Celsius (73.4 and 82.4 Fahrenheit), according to the Observatory.
What are the festive transport arrangements?
The MTR Corporation will add more high-speed rail services running between West Kowloon terminus and Shenzhen’s Futian station from Thursday until April 6.
An extra 12 pairs of trains will run between the stations, increasing the daily frequency to more than 100 return trips.
The city’s rail operator will also ramp up the service frequency for the Island and Tsuen Wan lines from 5pm to 11pm over the same period to increase access to the Central harbourfront.
Commuters can also enjoy shorter waiting times along the South Island and Disneyland Resort lines from Friday to Monday.
Pet portraits? Egg hunts? There’s a brunch for you in Hong Kong this Easter
Transport firm Citybus earlier announced enhanced services for its airport bus services, shortening the wait along popular routes, such as A21 and A23, to eight minutes during peak hours.
Routes for Stanley and The Peak will also run more frequently.
Buses connecting passengers to border crossings will be more frequent, with Citybus shortening the wait for routes B7 and B8, connecting Sheung Shui and Tai Wai to the Heung Yuen Wai Port, to five minutes amid peak hours.
