HK pop culture festival opens today, presenting over 20 programs

The second Hong Kong Pop Culture Festival opens today (April 6), presenting over 20 programs spanning across literature, various art forms and martial arts.

Themed "Arts & Action", this year's festival will take audiences on a journey through time to explore the charm of Hong Kong's pop culture through stage performances, thematic exhibitions, film screenings, library activities and outreach programs, the department said.

Speaking at the festival program parade at Victoria Park's central lawn on Friday, Secretary for Culture, Sports & Tourism Kevin Yeung said the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government is hoping that by shaping tourism with culture and promoting culture with tourism, Hong Kong's pop culture could be appreciated by more people both at home and abroad, and a stronger sense of pride toward Hong Kong's culture could be built among local people.

He also hoped Hong Kong's good stories could be shared with more tourists and people overseas, and the city's pop culture could continue to thrive.

In addition, Yeung said representatives of the tourism, food and beverage and retail industries were invited to the program parade, so that they could find out about the programs being offered and devise suitable planning in offering concessions to encourage consumption, which would in turn promote the economy.

The festival's opening program "ImagineLand", a large-scale outdoor carnival, will be held this weekend at Victoria Park's central lawn.

The department added that as this year marks the centenary of the birth of literary legend Jin Yong as well as the 20th anniversary of the passing of lyricist James Wong, while the late composer Joseph Koo worked closely with them over the years, the festival will also introduce many programs themed around the three masters.