Everything you need to know about Gay Games 11 Hong Kong 2023

There will be 17 competitive sports events at the GGHK, including swimming, mat sports like martial arts and fencing, marathons and races, racquet sports, and ball games. In order to make the Games truly belong to Hong Kong, dragon boating and even mahjong has been added to the list of competitive sports.

(Insider tip: There will be competitions for the Cantonese, Shanghainese, and international versions of mahjong – so bring your eagle-eyed determination to the table!)

In the spirit of bringing people together and bridging differences, the GGHK festivities will encompass more than just sports. There will be a Festival Village at the AIA Vitality Park, which will serve as a hub for social and cultural activities for the duration of the Games, including live performances, workshops, seminars, and market stalls.

The lineup for the GGHK gala concerts also feature a diverse range of global talents, including UK singer-songwriter Darkwah, the Hong Kong Philharmonic Brass Ensemble, Filipino R&B artist Jason Dhakal, Courtney Act, Virgin X, Silvy, as well as Cambodia’s first gay dance troupe Prumsodun Ok & Natyarasa.

As for our homegrown talents, we can expect to see performances from singer and rapper Miss Janni, Macanese singer Terence Siufay, gay singer-songwriter and influencer Zelos Wong, as well as local drag queens.

As the organisers are keen to emphasise, you do not have to be gay or queer to take part in the GGHK! The event’s whole mission is to increase public awareness of diverse identities, break down stereotypes, and to promote an inclusive space for connection through sports and entertainment. 

Those who are interested in competing can apply as a general participant, which costs $1,500 and gets you a goodie bag, a participation medal, access to the opening and closing ceremonies, and a free daily pass to the Festival Village. Each sporting event also requires its own participation fee. But in the spirit of true inclusivity, the Games is offering fee waivers for participants below the age of 25, foreign domestic and migrant workers, and asylum seekers. 

GGHK also welcomes corporate participants, in which applications can be submitted for employees to represent their companies at their selected sporting events. Sounds like a great opportunity for a team-building day to us!

The resounding answer is: absolutely. As a volunteer-run non-profit, the GGHK welcomes all hands on deck for volunteer roles in sports management, marketing, design and tech, and administration. On-site volunteers are also needed to ensure things run smoothly during the event week itself.

The Games has already gathered volunteers from over 40 different regions and countries, but they still need more help. If you’d like to be involved in this historic event, meet athletes and talents from around the world, and experience the operations of a global sporting event first-hand, then consider volunteering and playing a part in making Hong Kong’s first Gay Games a success. Visit the GGHK volunteer page for more details.