Celebrate Hong Kong's intangible heritage at this festival in Tai Kwun
There are plenty of traditional techniques still being practised today, such as cheongsam tailoring, soy sauce making, and even the famous Fire Dragon Dance, but this festival provides a look at how these traditions are also being reimagined and passed down in creative ways. This year's programme highlights the art of flower board crafting, with craftsman Choi Wing-kei and contemporary artist Lau Ming-hang, along with five students, taking on the challenge of co-creating a large-scale flower board installation. These signboards are typically used in celebrations such as deities' birthdays or the Hungry Ghost Festival, as well as the inauguration of projects like new buildings or businesses.
Measuring approximately six metres in height and width, the ICH+ Festival's piece is a nod to the visual impact of traditional flower boards and also the intergenerational transmission of skills that has long been found in the teacher-disciple model of Hong Kong's traditional crafts. Some students will also be exhibiting their works on Guangcai making – the art of handpainting white porcelain with overglaze decorations – each showing distinctive elements of Hong Kong culture. Keep an eye out for iconic subjects like the Tai Hang Fire Dragon Dance, the Haw Par Mansion, and a traditional 'fishes and aquatics' motif.
Aside from these two featured techniques, there will also be works related to other intangible cultural heritage such as Hong Kong cheongsam making, seal carving, Shiwan pottery making, dough figurine crafting, steamer making, blown sugar techniques, and many more. The art fair, game booths, workshops, and expert sharing sessions that accompany the exhibition will let visitors gain a deeper understanding and appreciation of the treasured history that this city's culture is built on.
The ICH+ Festival starts from June 21, with the art fair and game booths available until June 22, while the workshops run until July 5. For the full programme and schedule, visit the official website.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Sun
7 hours ago
- The Sun
Dark side of Boardmasters as it's dubbed an ‘underage carnival of horrors' amid drugs, sexual assaults & tragic death
STUDENT George Zographou set off for the Boardmasters festival for a weekend of fun after completing his A-Levels. The 18-year-old from Bristol drove to Newquay, Cornwall, with two female friends back in 2017 - but never made it home after falling ill and dying six days later when his parents had to make the heartbreaking call to turn off his life support machine. 13 George collapsed in a medical tent at the festival, suffering from Meningitis B (MenB), a deadly bacterial infection. In a statement issued later, the organiser said a test had not indicated the condition. Instead, George, who could barely walk when he went to find help at the site's medical facility, was diagnosed with a fractured ankle and dehydration. Despite deteriorating throughout the day and becoming agitated and confused, an ambulance was only called after he had a cardiac arrest. He was revived, but by then, doctors confirmed he was brain-dead. The last text he sent read: 'I think I'm dying.' George's mum, Elaine, believes that organisers should have done more to save her son and says that they have a higher responsibility to their audience than other festival hosts because of the age of ticket holders. George was a sensible boy. He didn't do drugs or anything like that. He was leaving for the festival early, so the night before he left, I helped him pack his bags and gave him a kiss good night and told him I loved him. Elaine Zographou Boardmasters attracts a young post- GCSE and A-level crowd, teenagers looking to celebrate the end of their exams during the summer months before heading to university. Elaine says: "I know things happen at all festivals, but at Boardmasters they are young teenagers, they're probably first timers, they're naïve. They need a little bit more security, help and backing." This August, Boardmasters will welcome up to 65,000 fun-seekers for five days of music and partying, drawn in by headliners Raye, Central Cee and The Prodigy. The crowd capacity has increased since 2023, when it was 53,000 visitors. 2024 saw 58,000 festival-goers attend. Last year, safety measures at the festival were called into question after seven attendees were taken to hospital following a crowd crush ahead of a DJ set by teenage favourite Sammy Virji. Eyewitnesses described horrific scenes. One woman who attended with her daughters described the 'carnage' in a social media post. She wrote: 'There were kids holding their legs, there were kids being carried.' Another described seeing someone with what appeared to be bone 'coming out of his leg'. A teenager who gave his name as Tristan told the BBC: "There was definitely not enough security to handle the surge. 'I saw the first broken leg ten minutes before the music was due to start. Friends of the injured boy were trying to get him to safety, but none of us could move. I could see his leg, bent horribly and covered in blood,' he said. Jade Brooks, 23, sustained a broken knee. She recalls: "I had about 10 people fall onto my legs. I was screaming 'My legs' when I heard the crunch as someone landed on it." Following the incident, organisers posted on X: 'No serious injuries have been reported and our pit and medical teams responded immediately to assist those involved.' 'Totally out of control' But across social media, the festival has come under fire from concerned parents. One parent on Reddit branded the event 'an underage carnival of horrors' and blasted: 'This festival was TOTALLY out of control.' In previous years, there have been reports of sexual assaults, rapes, and dangerous drugs. Several parents say their children saw drugs being consumed on the site, and dealers targeting youngsters. Last year, Levi Bethune-Jones, 37, and Luke Belcher, 36, were pulled over on the A30 near Bodmin on their way to the festival. In their van, they were carrying 411 2CB tablets, 225 MDMA tablets, 174 grams of ketamine, 70 grams of cannabis resin, 31 grams of herbal cannabis, 137 grams of magic mushrooms, and two boxes of nitrous oxide canisters. Police believe they intended to sell the drugs at the festival. Bethune-Jones, from Birmingham, was found guilty of five counts of possession with intent to supply drugs at a trial at Truro Crown Court in April 2025 and was jailed for three years and eight months. Belcher, also from Birmingham, pleaded guilty to five counts of possession with intent to supply drugs and was jailed for three years. Rob Spring, Festival Director of Boardmasters, said afterwards: 'Boardmasters operates a zero-tolerance policy on illegal drugs and substances in line with UK law.' In 2022, warning posters were put up around the festival site after two strains of potentially dangerous drugs were found on festival grounds. 13 13 13 Attendees have also reported serious sexual assaults at the event, with police issuing an e-fit of a man wanted in relation to a suspected sex crime only last year. In 2022, a 17-year-old girl was raped by two men in a tent at the festival, and in previous years, a 16-year-old girl from Somerset was attacked, and a 17-year-old boy was later arrested on suspicion of rape. A teenage girl, 17, was also subjected to a "deeply upsetting and shocking" sexual attack on a train on her way home from the festival. She was assaulted twice, by two different men. The risks are not confined to on-site activity. In one Reddit post, a mother asks for advice on whether the festival is safe for her teenage daughter. One reply from someone claiming to be a festival worker tells her: 'What's actually dangerous about Boardmasters is the off-site part of the festival. You have all the water-related dangers to consider, like jumping into shallow water, swimming drunk, weak swimmers etc.' The 'worker' explains that Boardmasters is 'as safe as any other festival' and says 'there is plenty of security around 24/7' but admits 'there will be drinking, there will be sex and there will be tears' but that there will also 'be fun'. 'It was too late' The words ring hollow for the family of George Zographou. He had a promising life ahead of him. He was due to get his A-level results the day after the festival ended and had a place lined up at Aston University, where he planned to study international development and international business. Elaine, 71, continues: 'George was a sensible boy. He didn't do drugs or anything like that. He was leaving for the festival early, so the night before he left, I helped him pack his bags and gave him a kiss good night and told him I loved him.' When George first fell ill at the event, he was in contact with his parents via his mobile phone. Elaine learned that his heartbeat was three times higher than normal. The ambulance was called. The paramedics revived him and took him to the hospital, but it was too late. Elaine Zographou She says: 'We decided to go and pick him up, and I spoke to the senior doctor who said, 'Don't worry, he'll be under my care. He will be with me the whole time until you come and pick him up.' But George was moved to a recovery tent, and Elaine struggled to get more information about his condition. George's dad, Andrew, left for Cornwall around 4pm in the afternoon. Elaine continued to call her son to find out what was happening, but he stopped answering his phone. At one point, a security guard answered it and said George had become agitated and confused. Elaine recalls: 'They asked us to hurry up and pick him up because he was violent. I was absolutely shocked. That was not like George at all.' 13 13 13 13 Later, someone answered George's phone and told Elaine he was asleep. At some point, George had complained about discomfort and was placed on the floor. Soon after, he suffered a heart attack. 'That's when the ambulance was called. The paramedics revived him and took him to the hospital, but it was too late,' says a tearful Elaine. Andrew was halfway to Cornwall when someone from the Royal Truro Hospital rang him on George's phone. He says: "He asked if I was driving and suggested I pull over. He said: 'Your son has been brought in and he is very poorly indeed'. It was a complete shock." When he arrived at the hospital, he was told that his son was on life support. He called his wife. Elaine says, fighting back tears: "When Andy called and told me, I was sorting George's bedroom out and putting new sheets on the bed for when he came back." Over the following days, tests showed George was brain dead and that there was no hope. As he lay wired to machines that kept him breathing, hundreds of his friends from all over the country came to say their final goodbyes. Six days after George left to go to the festival, his life support system was switched off. Elaine, Andrew and his sister Nicole, 37, who rushed back from a holiday in Ibiza when she got the news, were at his side. By then, MenB had been diagnosed. Two people from George's college had contracted the infection 18 months previously. One had died. And earlier in 2024, another student, one of George's friends, had also contracted it. Private vaccinations are available at around £300 and after George died, the whole of his year group was vaccinated, along with his family, who now campaign to raise awareness of meningitis and particularly MenB and have raised thousands of pounds for Meningitis charities in George's memory. Nicole now works as a health protection practitioner at the UK Health Security Agency. She believes Boardmasters should have a low threshold for sending young people to hospital, especially if no drugs and alcohol are involved, as in George's case. She says: "It's also important for festivals to promote vaccine awareness ahead of mass gatherings. In July 2018, the Cornwall Coroner, Dr Emma Carlyon, ruled George had died of natural causes and refused to order an inquest. Festival promoters Vision Nine said they pride themselves on hiring a 'first-class medical team'. They said George was never left unmonitored and claimed he had not wanted to go to hospital. They added that the mottled rash on his left foot was a 'single small red mark' and that blood tests for meningitis came back negative. In a statement, the organisers said he had received a 'thorough examination' and he did not show any signs of sepsis or meningitis. 'Boardmasters has been staged in Cornwall for over 10 years, with over 250,000 music fans enjoying five days of entertainment in a safe and secure environment,' a spokesman for Boardmasters said. After last year's event, police reported that 11 people had been arrested on suspicion of drug offences, sexual offences and assault. As thousands gather for a weekend of partying this weekend, George's family will be gathering to remember their son and to mark another year since his death. The Sun has reached out to the organisers of Boardmasters Festival. 13 13
Scotsman
8 hours ago
- Scotsman
The best bakeries to visit for delectable sweet treats to fuel your Edinburgh Festival
Zac and Zac Here's where to grab a cake and croissant to accompany your culture fix Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... The last few years have seen a boom in bakery tourism. We blame lockdown, when cake shopping and sourdough making became our only pleasures. Now visitors to cities add a hunt for the finest croissant to the very top of their travel itineraries. It's no different in Edinburgh, especially while the Festival is on, and folk are in regular need of a sweet treat and a caffeine fix between shows. Thus, we have assembled our favourite nine of the city's bakeries, see below. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad It's difficult to make a list of Edinburgh's best bakeries without including this favourite, which is owned by Darcie Maher and won the La Liste global award for Best Pastry Opening back in 2024. We also have to mention the large queues. However, good things (and very Instagrammable content) come to those who wait. The takeaway pastries are like perfect works-of-art, with varieties including a medjool date and panela butterscotch bun, or chocolate and cocoa husk Suisse. This autumn will see the opening of their new business, next door's Lannan Pantry. It will offer seasonal produce, including fruit and vegetables supplied by Natoora, and homemade products including pasta, dips, bread, sausages, pork pies and terrines, as well as homeware and natural and biodynamic wines. They'll also take bakery pre-orders, so you might just be able to skip the line. Bits Bake Shop, 38 Dalkieth Road, Instagram @bitsbakeshop This tiny but perfectly formed bakery is conveniently located opposite the Royal Commonwealth Pool, so you can do your Edinburgh Leisure workout routine before spoiling yourself. They've got a great collection of cardamom or cinnamon buns, but we can't say no to their perfectly sticky and malty slab of Guinness cake. There are seven branches of this 10-year-old and much-loved favourite throughout the city, with one in Portobello, also Dalry, Easter Road (their Kitchen Table cafe), Leith, Stockbridge, Morningside and Brunswick Street. They also recently opened a new cafe in Melrose, if you're out of the city, and you can now get hold of their own cookbook, Kitchen Table, by owners Rachel Morgan and Emily Cuddeford. At the outlets, every Edinburger has their favourite products, but, if available, we'd recommend the almond croissant, cheesecake brownie, and the millionaire's shortbread, which has a layer of caramel about two metres thick. Murray Orr 101 Bakery, 101 Newington Road, This titchy but very friendly Southside takeaway bakery is handy for venues including Summerhall, or House of Oz, if you want some pre or post show cakery. Their selection might include the sophisticated passionfruit raspberry meringue cake, brown butter marmalade blondie, or the crowd-pleasing chocolate chip shortbread. They also do coffee and cool drinks, like a peach and lemon iced green tea, or their house made fizzy Ribena, among other things. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The Pastry Section, 143 Great Junction Street and 86 Raeburn Place , We defy you to walk past either of this bakery's Leith or Stockbridge locations and not go in. The smell is so come-hither, and the windows are always packed with cakes, biscuits, tarts, Swiss rolls and traybakes, of every sugary variety, to suit those who like a citrus tang, or chocolatey richness. There are some who refuse to deviate from their classic rocky road, and others who swear by their cinnamon buns, each of which are topped by a blob of buttery icing the size of a tennis you also want a seat and a coffee, there are more pews in their Stockbridge branch, but also a couple in Leith. Kate's, 116 Causewayside Instagram @kates_edinburgh If you need to rest your swollen trotters, then you can sit in at the lovely cafe, which is off the main choc-a-block thoroughfares, but just a short walk from the Meadows. They've got a counter that's stacked high with classic goodies, like strawberry shortcake; the stalwart bake that is coffee and walnut, or lemon and poppyseed muffins. The excellent Kintyre cheddar scones have been a fixture since day dot. The Bearded Baker, 46 Rodney Street , 0131 241 4096, Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad This Canonmills venue specialises in bagels, as well as doughnuts that are filled with pistachio Boston cream or salted dark chocolate. They've also got a new-ish cafe next door, 71 Steps. It's easy to forget that this family business - whose original branch at the Shore is hitting its 15th birthday - now has seven branches in the capital. Thus, you're never too far away, whether you're in Leith, Corstorphine, Comely Bank, or at the City Arts Centre - where the current exhibition is John Bellany: A Life in Portraiture, until the end of September - from one of their head-sized fruit scones. They're also serving a Tunnocks-themed hot chocolate at all their locations, throughout the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Sloe Bakery, 106 Leith Walk Instagram @sloelanebakery
BBC News
16 hours ago
- BBC News
Big Love festival founder died of rare cancer days after wedding
Tributes have been paid to an "irreplaceable" festival co-founder who died of an aggressive cancer, days after he got Housley, 49, became unwell in May and was diagnosed with angiosarcoma in early July. His health deteriorated rapidly, but he was still able to attend the Big Love festival he founded in Usk, Monmouthshire, and also marry his partner Jo in an intimate ceremony pulled together in five died days later, on 28 July. Stu, who also put on events in Cardiff, spent nearly 10 years building up the four day festival, from a small weekend gathering to a celebration of organisers said he never paid himself a penny for his work, adding he was "motivated by his love of music, bringing people together and putting on a damn good party". Speaking of the couple's wedding day, Kaptin Barrett, a friend and DJ, said: "We had no idea that it would be the last time many of us would see him."It was such a beautiful day among the sadness."It was such a bright and colourful affair as he wanted it, and the people leading the ceremony couldn't believe that it was all pulled together in just five days."He described Stu, originally from Penarth, Vale of Glamorgan, as one of his "best friends in the world". "We started putting on parties back in the mid 2000s and through many adventures forged a great friendship," he added. Stu loved the technical challenges of hosting a festival, Kaptin said, and could "turn his hand to almost anything", whether it was sound systems, lighting, plumbing, power or mechanics. "Whatever the problem, he could always come up with a solution," Kaptin added. Big Love festival took place between 17 and 20 July 2025, hosting more than 130 live acts and DJs, circus performances, creative workshops, comedy and art as being a festival "all about the people" Kaptin said Stu worked incredibly hard to bring "fun and connection into people's lives". "He was seen as someone who was always genuine and trustworthy, which can be refreshing in the industry sometimes," Kaptin said. "Stu really cared about everything he put his hand and name to."He loved his family and friends and would do anything for them".He added Stu had a "terrible taste" in films, but joked "nobody is perfect". Festival organisers had gone through "many trials and tribulations" to make the festival happen each year, according to Kaptin. Founded in 2016, the festival started in Baskerville Hall, Hay-On-Wye, Powys, and receives no sponsorship, with all profits ploughed back in to the event "to keep it as affordable as possible".Covid-19 brought many difficulties for many independent festivals, and Kaptin said Stu was often advised to call it a day as costs kept rising. But he said Stu knew it was special to people and "wouldn't ever have let it go easily".In a release posted on the festival's website, Stu was described as being "truly irreplaceable" and the core of the festival. It said while it is hard to contemplate continuing the festival without him, Stu and his wife wanted the festival to continue and flourish. "He always said that the 10th year had to be a big deal and it certainly will be," said Kaptin. Tickets have since been released for Big Love 2026, which plans to pay tribute to Stu on its anniversary. While organisers are still figuring out how to honour Stu, Kaptin said they intend to "do him proud"."Stu's spirit runs through the fabric of every little inch of Big Love so it will be hard to pay tribute in any other way than making the whole thing even more incredible than it already is," he said. "It's already testament to him that people say it's the friendliest festival they've ever been to." An official memorial event for Stu will take place at Sully Sports & Social Club on 22 August from 2pm.
