Monday
The Hong Kong Book Fair is back again this year, and it’s bigger than ever. Running from Wednesday, July 15 to Tuesday, July 21 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre in Wan Chai, this year’s event will feature hundreds of exhibitors, offering the newest books from both local and international writers. Dozens of authors will also be participating in panel discussions about the art of literature, including famous contemporary philosopher Alain de Botton, Nigerian poet Ben Okri, British historian Simon Sebag Montefiore, and biographer and daughter of the late Margaret Thatcher, Carol Thatcher. More details.
Tuesday
We all have that one hipster friend who claims to listen to “all types of music.” Or maybe that’s you. Whatever the case, you’ll be missing out if you don’t catch the debut show of a brand new music series from Soundbox at Hong Kong KITEC next Tuesday. The lineup features musicians spanning all across the spectrum, from the Billboard-topping alternative rap/rock group Twenty One Pilots, to Japanese “samurai guitarist” Miyavi, and the simply electric local rock band KillerSoap. More details.
Wednesday
To satisfy your parched and carnivorous appetites, Lawry’s The Prime Rib will be presenting a special dinner menu on Wednesday, July 22, featuring couplings of six craft beers from around the world with six of the restaurant’s famous treats. A craft beer expert will also be joining guests, guiding them through the diverse flavours and characters of the different beers. More details.
We’d be kidding ourselves if we didn’t admit that we’ve been waiting for Britpop legends Blur’s concert for what seems like forever! As their previous last album was recorded in 2003, imagine our joy when the band announced that they would be putting out a new album inspired by Hong Kong! Blur started recording The Magic Whip back in 2013 while in the city, and are now coming back to the convention center to share it with its muse. More details.
Thursday
Featuring works from 11 artists, the “Walking in the Dreams” exhibit contains dreamlike and illusory works, allowing the audience to examine their own thoughts and fears within consciousness. and slumber. Here’s to hoping they have something to address that recurring dream where we show up for a school play naked. More details.
Friday
Let’s be honest – for all its glory as the “classic man’s drink,” whisky is truly misunderstood by all but a few know-it-alls with red noses. That’s why Hong Kong’s hippest whisky haven SAFE Bubbles & Malt is putting on a series of summer workshops to squeeze and sozzle us into master aficionados of single malts. Held every Friday from July 24 to September 11, the SAFE workshops will provide eight guided tastings of premier Scottish and Japanese whiskies from its collection of over 700 different labels. More details.
Stuck in Hong Kong for the summer and tired of seeing your friends’ vacation pics all over your Instagram feed? #sausagelegs anyone? Fear not – Woobar is here to cure your wanderlust. On Friday, July 24, the swanky W Hotel bar will be transformed into a tribal-chic paradise for an Afro-Latin themed party with the internationally renowned DJ Atjazz working the turntable. The folks at Woobar are calling it a “hedonistic, all-immersive themed party,” so we’re expecting the decoration work to be taken damned seriously. More details.
Geeky Hongkongers, rejoice! The annual Ani-Com & Games expo is back from Friday July 24 to Tuesday July 28 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. It’s the biggest annual event in Hong Kong dedicated to all things anime, so expect to see kids queuing up for limited edition action figures, hundreds of manga series on sale, and virtually everyone dressed as their favourite comic book character. Basically, Halloween on nerd steroids. More details.
After an incredibly successful 15 years, OK Go shows no signs of slowing down. The four-man band from Chicago is sailing through HK this July. Though primarily known for their viral music videos that rack up millions of views with nary a butt cheek in sight, the group has also been known to bring their video antics to the stage. This pop-rock band will surely entertain the hell out of the crowd. More details.
Saturday
In case you missed it last month, the next round of the local merchandise haven that is the Hollywood Road Market will take place on Saturday, July 25, and Sunday, July 26. The market features clothing, accessories and other products made by 10 of Hong Kong’s coolest creative designers, to prove that our city isn’t just full of brain-dead, cubicle-bound zombies and chain stores. More details.
A group of 17 fierce jazz musicians, ranging from young to old, and from all four corners of the globe – the Island Express Jazz Orchestra delivers big-band music for the modern age. Come and let one of the baddest jazz ensembles we know rock you with infectious swing and grooves! More details.
Sunday
For one night only on Sunday, July 26, chef Morgan McGlone from Melbourne’s famous fried chicken powerhouse “Belle’s Hot Chicken” will be taking over the kitchen of Soho eatery Ho Lee Fook, offering Hong Kong foodies a taste of his signature “chook” (Aussie slang for chicken, apparently). Back in Melbourne, McGlone’s restaurant is one of the hottest chicken joints in town, with diners queuing up every night for the chef’s winning Southern-style recipe. More details.
