Art Basel and Sevens perfect match for Hong Kong on international stage
In an attempt to revive tourism and breathe life back into the city after the pandemic, Hong Kong authorities have spent the past few years busy packing the calendar, so much so that there were more than 200 events annually for the past two years. Even by those standards, March is shaping up to be an extraordinary month, with so many arts, culture, business and sporting events that it has been labelled 'Hong Kong Super March.'
Advertisement
Depending on your interest, you could have started the month watching World Grand Prix snooker at Kai Tak Arena, taken in LIV Golf, viewed Cezanne and Renoir at the Museum of Art, studied Picasso at M+, or sourced some new handbags at the APLF Leather fair, now in its fourth decade, at the Convention and Exhibition Centre in Wan Chai. There were also many more events in between.
Even as March counts down its final days, the main mega-events are yet to happen. Today, the exhibition centre opens its doors for the 13th Art Basel Hong Kong. Asia's biggest contemporary art fair runs through Sunday, with 240 exhibitors from 42 countries and territories.
The other main draw is taking place at a brand new venue for the first time, and the pressure is on. The new Kai Tak Stadium kicks off three days of world-class rugby today with the Hong Kong Sevens. It is already going to be the biggest tournament crowd by ticket sales – 43,000 out of 47,000 had been sold by Wednesday, organisers said.
The stadium, which opened on March 1, is the crown jewel of the HK$30 billion Kai Tak Sports Park, which bears the name of the old airport. It is significantly larger than the ageing Hong Kong Stadium, which had a capacity of 40,000 and hosted the tournament in So Kon Po for 40 years before falling silent after its final hurrah – and round of 'Sweet Caroline' – last year. Kai Tak is meant to be a hub for sports and entertainment, offering large-scale concerts to help attract global visitors. British band Coldplay will play concerts there next month.
Workers outside the Kai Tak Main Stadium prepare for Day 1 of the Hong Kong Sevens. Photo: May Tse
A lot is riding on the Sevens, the stadium's biggest test yet, and there have been positive signs so far. Some hotels and restaurants are seeing 20 per cent more business ahead of kick-off, with visitors from the United States, Canada, Britain and beyond. Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism Rosanna Law Shuk-pui told the Post that Super March had attracted both the numbers and spending sought by the government. Many had come for the month's final attractions, and the sports park was a game changer for mega-events, Law said.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
HKFP
3 days ago
- HKFP
Hong Kong pianist Aristo Sham wins historic gold at prestigious Cliburn competition
Hong Kong musician Aristo Sham has become the city's first pianist to win the top prize at the prestigious Cliburn competition in the United States. The 29-year-old won the gold medal and a cash award of US$100,000 (HK$784,800) on Saturday after defeating five other finalists at the 17th Van Cliburn International Piano Competition. His prize also includes three years of individualised career management, a Platoon Records live album, a promotional package covering press kits and website management, as well as performance attire sponsored by US department store chain Neiman Marcus. As part of the three-year career management programme, Sham will embark on US and international concert tours. Vitaly Starikov of Israel/Russia won the silver medal, while American pianist Evren Ozel was awarded the bronze. Sham also received the Carla and Kelly Thompson Audience Award, which came with a cash prize of US$2,500 (HK$19,700). Sham was among 28 pianists handpicked from a pool of 340 applicants from 45 countries and regions to compete in the 2025 Cliburn competition, which started on May 21 in Fort Worth, Texas. During the final round, Sham played Mendelssohn's Piano Concerto No. 1 in G Minor, Op. 25 and Brahms' Piano Concerto No. 2 in B-flat Major, Op. 83. In a backstage interview with the competition organiser released on Sunday, Sham said the Mendelssohn piece he played was 'whimsy' and full of 'dazzling virtuosity' and 'irresistible lightness.' He added he was glad to be the first contestant to play Mendelssohn's Piano Concerto No. 1 at the Cliburn Competition. 'At the end of the second movement, it's like this overwhelming feeling that no matter what happens in the world, everything will be okay. I feel that so much with Mendelssohn, and I think that really is his music's worth,' he said. According to his profile on the Cliburn website, Sham learned piano at the age of three from his mother. He began competing and playing in concerts when he was 10 years old. He graduated from Harvard University in 2019 with a Bachelor of Arts and earned a master's degree in piano performance at the New England Conservatory of Music under pianist Victor Rosenbaum in 2020. He went on to study at the Ingesund School of Music in Sweden before going back to the US to acquire an artist diploma at The Juilliard School. Sham has played in concerts in Asia, Europe, and the US, including with the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra. He has also performed for British royalty and former Chinese leader Hu Jintao.
HKFP
5 days ago
- HKFP
Hong Kong hails ‘overwhelming support' for legalising basketball betting, proposes 50% levy on profits
The Hong Kong government has hailed 'overwhelming support' from scholars, athletes, and youth groups for its plan to legalise basketball betting in the city, following the conclusion of a one-month public consultation last month. Ninety-four per cent of the 1,063 submissions received by the government between April and May 'expressed support or positive views' on the proposal to regulate basketball betting under the Betting Duty Ordinance, according to a paper submitted by the Home and Youth Affairs Bureau to the Legislative Council on Thursday. Those who supported the legal amendment said public demand for basketball betting has 'increased significantly,' and a regulatory regime can protect bettors' rights and interests. The government proposed in April to amend the ordinance to grant the Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs the power to issue a basketball betting license to the Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC). The regulatory regime will mirror the existing one for football betting, the government said. In the paper released on Thursday, the government proposed imposing a 50 per cent levy on the net profits from basketball betting. Citing responses from supporters of the legislative proposal, the government said the HKJC may donate its additional revenue to welfare and charitable purposes. The tax revenue generated may also help the government allocate more resources on social welfare, supporters said, according to the government. Financial Secretary Paul Chan first unveiled the government's intention to regulate basketball betting during his 2025 budget speech in February. He said the legalisation could tackle illegal gambling and raise tax revenue amid the city's estimated deficit of HK$87.2 billion. The finance chief projected that regulating basketball betting could generate HK$1.5 billion to HK$2 billion in tax revenue. The government acknowledged on Thursday that 36 submissions – or 3.4 per cent of the responses collected – opposed the proposal. Those who objected raised concerns about the adverse impact of basketball betting on the youth, adding illegal gambling still existed after football betting was legalised. Responding to the concerns, the government said in the paper that the impact of betting activities on young people has been 'steady' in recent years. The proportion of bettors aged between 18 and 21 also 'consistently remained below two per cent,' the government said quoting the HKJC. Some suggested the government to prohibit individuals aged between 18 and 25 from placing bets online, while others proposed imposing restrictions on the amount and number of bets that can be placed by young people. The paper submitted on Thursday is set to be discussed by lawmakers on the Legislative Council's Panel on Home Affairs, Culture and Sports on Monday. 'Disastrous move' In February, the Hong Kong Committee on Children's Rights criticised the government's plan to regulate basketball betting, saying that giving a green light to basketball betting was a 'disastrous move.' The group said popularising sports betting could 'lure' young people to bet with their limited financial resources that should otherwise go to other needs. Gambling loss may also result in psychological pressure and guilt, which may deter individuals from seeking help, it said, warning that gamblers could enter a 'vicious cycle' where they turn to lending agencies or engage in criminal activities.
HKFP
7 days ago
- HKFP
Golden Harvest to shutter MegaBox branch – 6th cinema to close in Hong Kong this year
Hong Kong cinema chain Golden Harvest has announced that it will close its branch in the Kowloon Bay shopping mall MegaBox on Monday due to 'the end of the tenancy.' It will be the sixth cinema to shut down in the city this year. In a post shared on Facebook and Instagram on Wednesday, Golden Harvest said GH MegaBox would offer a series of special discounts to audiences and host a 'Classic Mystery Movie Session' on Sunday to mark its final day of operation. IMAX tickets will be sold for HK$40, while selected combos at the concession stands will be priced at HK$40 on Sunday. Anyone who presents a GH MegaBox movie ticket at the snack counters of other Golden Harvest cinemas may enjoy a HK$10 discount on purchases of HK$65 or more between 9 and 30 June. The MegaBox branch, with seven theatres and 852 seats, will be the third Golden Harvest cinema to close this year. Grand Ocean Cinema on Canton Road closed on Monday after operating for more than five decades. Golden Harvest said in its announcement last month that the cinema was a 'landmark' in Tsim Sha Tsui, 'witnessing the passage of time through different eras of film.' In April, the Whampoa branch of Golden Harvest closed after nearly 16 years of operation in the residential area. Golden Harvest said both closures were due to the end of the cinemas' tenancies. Last year, nine local cinemas closed as overall box office receipts in Hong Kong marked the weakest performance since 2011, according to figures compiled by Hong Kong Box Office Limited. Total box office revenue amounted to HK$1.3 billion in 2024 – down 6.2 per cent from 2023, it also said in January. As of Thursday, the Hong Kong Theatres Association's website showed that it had 50 members: 12 on Hong Kong Island, 18 in Kowloon, and 20 in the New Territories, with GH MegaBox still listed as a member.
