The best things to do in Hong Kong this week (October 12-18)

Back by popular demand, the lantern display at Wan Chai’s beloved Blue House returns from now until October 14. Featuring over 700 lanterns hand-painted by residents, neighbours, and local illustrators, the display stretches across Stone Nullah Lane, Kat On Street, Hing Wan Street, King Sing Street, and Queen’s Road East, turning the old tong lau and street corners into a brilliant community showcase. The lanterns light up every evening from 6pm to 9.30pm. 

No Curfew Club is back with a night for the revival of punk rock and we’re already shaking. Each hour of the event will focus on a different genre to cater to everyone’s mood. Alt-rock and acoustic jams from Coldplay, Hoobastank, Incubus, and more will warm up the speakers at 5pm, followed by high-energy pop-punk anthems from 6pm – think bangers by Fall Out Boy, Avril Lavigne, and Blink-182!

The next hour might just see us crying a mascara-laden tear or two with alt-rock and nu-metal tracks from Linkin Park, Evanescence, Nickelback, and System of a Down. Finally, from 8pm onwards, we’ll be treated to peak emo and rock bangers by My Chemical Romance, Green Day, Paramore before our voices give out. If you haven’t screamed yourself hoarse by the end of the night, you’re definitely not doing it right.

Lee Tung Avenue has transformed its 200-metre pedestrian walkway into a sea of light for its Moon Fest Lumiere, hanging more than 800 traditional lanterns overhead. This year’s display combines the art of paper-cutting with modern light design, featuring custom palace lanterns with silhouettes that illustrate timeless folklore tales, family reunions, lantern-making, and more.

Beyond the canopy, visitors can explore a pop-up store from Hang Heung Bakery, a weekend market, and enjoy a Mid-Autumn concert on Sept 26 (2pm-6pm). The signature LED Fire Dragon Fiesta will also make its grand return on September 25 at 8.30pm, so mark your calendar!

Local artist Leon Lai – aka LeonLollipop – brings his signature Gloomie cat to Gallery by the Harbour for his first solo exhibition. Running from now until October 25, the ‘Gloomie Museum’ reimagines classical masterpieces, famous art styles, and local Hong Kong landmarks through a feline lens. Highlights include the debut of the artist’s 100th Gloomie portrait, titled Gloomie Lisa, alongside various sculptures and an adorable ‘Kitty Army’ inspired by the ancient Terracotta Warriors. Visitors can also browse exclusive merchandise and collect stamps across four stations to complete a special postcard illustration as a small souvenir.

Discover the history, art, and cultural impact of gaming at CityUHK’s new interactive exhibition, The Power of Play. This hands-on showcase spans 5,000 years of gaming history, tracking the evolution of human play from ancient Egyptian board games and nostalgic 1980s arcades to immersive virtual reality experiences, modern esports, and collaborative robotics. Curated by professor Espen Aarseth, the exhibition offers a fascinating look at how society’s attitude toward gaming has shifted from a casual amusement to a global competitive phenomenon. 

The Power of Play runs from July 4 to October 25 at the Indra and Harry Banga Gallery (18th floor of the Lau Ming Wai Academic Building at CityUHK). Doors are open from 11am to 7pm from Tuesday to Sunday. Entry won't cost you a penny, though you’ll need to register online before turning up.

Central Market is teaming up with Stormies once again to transform its ground-floor Oasis into a full-scale Bavarian beer hall from October 8 to 31. Get stuck in with roasted pork knuckle, grilled Nuremberg sausages, as well as renowned brews like Löwenbräu and Franziskaner Weissbier. German folk band Die Notenhobler will also be on stage to keep up the Oktoberfest vibes, alongside classic Oktoberfest competitions like stein-holding challenges and drinking contests.

The Family & Kids Oktoberfest also makes its return, offering family-friendly fun with games booths, face painting, and specially curated mini burgers and gelato. Ticket packages start at $200 for adults and $130 for children via Chef’s Market, with passes including entry, food, drinks, souvenir mugs, and festive hats.

On the 25th anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks in New York, HKI Gallery hosts ‘The World Trade Center: Before Memory’, an exhibition examining life before the tragedy. Hong Kong artist Gretchen So took these monochrome photographs on medium-format film in the early 1990s, when the Twin Towers were still standing as part of New York’s everyday cityscape.

So never intended to memorialise anything, and her photographs don’t necessarily present the World Trade Center as the subject. Instead, the outlines of the two skyscrapers simply exist in the frame as she captured New York’s streets, bridges, waterfronts, and public spaces – just an intrinsic part of the city as So saw it. Go visit and think about how the 9/11 incident has affected you, where you were when the news broke, and if you remember life before it happened.

Celebrating the city's cherished 3.15pm (aka ‘saam dim saam’) tea culture, Cordis, Hong Kong has partnered with Yau Ma Tei’s historic Tai On Coffee & Tea Shop and food illustrator Kai to present ‘Art In Residence: Tea Time Stories’ from August 17 to October 31. The takeover spans across both Cordis and Tai On, featuring an exhibition of Kai’s signature dining sketches, alongside a reimagined menu of classic afternoon tea treats – including peanut butter mille-feuille, caramelised peanut toast cakes, coconut red bean baked French toast, and peanut butter egg tarts. Visitors stopping by both Mong Kok and Yau Ma Tei locations at 3.15pm can also catch daily interactive activities and get their hands on limited-edition merchandise.

Ocean Park has been transformed into a dark playground of terrifying sensory experiences with scares around each corner that will either send your pulse racing or freeze the blood in your veins. Created in collaboration with Jackson Wang’s original fantasy IP, the Under the Castle Haunted Experience opens with a beautiful masquerade that quickly turns into a labyrinth of warped mirrors where reflections move out of time, a pulsating crystal cavern, a nursery of wide-eyed dolls, and other horrors.

Other large-scale haunted experiences include a wrecked theme park distorted by evil in the Voodoo Boo Terror Park, Troublesome Night 8 which is inspired by Hong Kong’s legendary Troublesome Night movie franchise, and the Forbidden Asylum with psychiatric patients and a ghastly secret.

See the details here and decide if your heart can take all the horrors!

We all know Disney villains are just as iconic as the heroes, and this Halloween, these bad-ass characters take the spotlight again at Hong Kong Disneyland, as antagonists crash the party to turn the celebrations into the baddest in town. Maleficent sweeps down Main Street, U.S.A. with other villains in a wicked dance party, while iconic hero-villain duos such as The Queen and Snow White, or Loki and Thor, will be roaming the park waiting to be encountered.

Ursula, Mother Gothel, Gaston, Maleficent, and Dr Facilier take the stage in the Let’s Get Wicked musical performance with spectacular vocals on iconic villain numbers. Halloween also means that the character encounters in Disneyland will switch up, so look out for figures like Cruella, Jafar and Jasmine, Gaston and Belle, Lady Tremaine with Anastasia and Drizella, and more popping up across the park. But we have to be honest, we’re most looking forward to finding and taking photos with everyone’s favourite talking trash can, which will be roaming around wearing a white sheet!

The Hong Kong Design Institute and the Hong Kong Institute of Professional Photographers have put together ‘Leslie・Grace at 70 Exhibition’, a free public showcase honouring the late Cantopop superstar Leslie Cheung. The exhibition features a collection of previously unpublished archival photographs, film negatives, and Polaroids from the 1980s and 90s, alongside his iconic silver microphone stand from his ‘Final Encounter of the Legend Farewell’ concert.

Divided into three thematic zones, the display also features a darkroom installation and contemporary creative projects by over 400 design students, as well as a limited-edition commemorative vinyl record created in partnership with Universal Music Hong Kong (only 500 copies available). Entry to the exhibition is free, with online registration required in advance.

Hailing from Malmö in Sweden, this museum famously gathers over 80 of the world’s most polarising foods for your multi-sensory (dis)pleasure. Expect a real assault on your senses with a combination of real foods, models, photo and video archives, scent installations, and interactive displays. Some of the disgusting foods on display include Surströmming, fermented herring from Sweden that’s long been considered the smelliest canned food on Earth; fermented shark meat from Iceland; cheese with live maggots that’s officially banned by the EU; frog smoothies; and more.

Of course, after seeing everything, visitors will also have the opportunity to taste a curated selection of unusual foods. These could range from Australian Vegemite and crunchy crickets, to final bosses like Icelandic fermented shark! Keep your vomit bag handy, but if you manage to complete the challenge, you’ll earn the title of ‘Tastebud Warrior’.

The stylish restaurant and bar Felix on the top floor of The Peninsula Hong Kong hotel has launched a brand-new event series that focuses on DJs spinning tunes on vinyl records. Every Thursday, from 8pm to 11pm, a rotation of highly respectable DJs such as Brahms, Roy Malig, Johnny Hiller, and NeeNo will spotlight their own distinctive styles with curated playlists of both mellow tracks and upbeat grooves. This is a great opportunity to experience some deep cuts from each DJ’s extensive record collections, with genres ranging from soul and jazz to Mediterranean Balearic and funk.

There are also special drinks and snacks that take inspiration from the 80s and 90s to go with the tunes. See details about this weekly music series at The Peninsula here. 

Maggie Choo’s launches its fifth seasonal production, ‘Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps’. Inspired by French Baroque, the brand-new cabaret show features gilded ornaments, hand-stitched costumes, and 12 numbers performed across three acts with a live vocalist and house band. The show runs every Thursday night from 9.30pm until midnight. Entry is $200 per guest and includes a choice of drink (cocktail, alcoholic, or non-alcoholic).

The Hong Kong Space Museum has launched a new 3D dome show catered to little Einsteins and space-loving adults. ‘The Great Solar System Adventure 3D’ replaces their previous programme exploring the Arctic wilderness with an immersive, interstellar voyage.

The show will run until October 14, 2026, with screening times at 2pm and 6.30pm on weekdays, 12.30pm and 5pm on weekends and public holidays at the Space Theatre. Tickets are priced from $15 to $40 per person.

Running until January 10, 2027, this highly anticipated interactive exhibition brings the viral Japanese showcase to Hong Kong with a unique local twist. Adapted from the hugely popular ‘Design Ah! neo’ exhibition, the family-friendly event features 21 playful stations themed around 10 ordinary daily actions like eating, walking, and sitting. From giant installations and interactive challenges to an immersive rhythm game, this creative exhibition shines a completely new light on the seemingly mundane routines and objects we often overlook. It’s well worth a visit, so pencil it into your calendar!

The Hong Kong Palace Museum’s new thematic exhibition takes ancient imperial history for a spin through the lens of modern Hong Kong life. Featuring works by nine local artists across multiple disciplines, including painting, sculpture, and multimedia, the showcase reinterprets Qing dynasty court traditions using contemporary urban elements, local pop culture, and everyday city rhythms.

The exhibition is open from now until February 22, 2027. Standard entry is included with a general admission ticket ($70 for adults, $35 for concessions), and tickets can be booked directly through the museum website or the WestK app.

Hong Kong football fans are in for a treat this May as the FIFA Museum makes its large-scale debut at Times Square. Kicking off on May 28, this six-month residency offers a deep dive into the history of the beautiful game, featuring The Rainbow installation of 211 member association jerseys alongside original trophies and artefacts from both the men’s and women’s World Cups. Beyond the glass cases, visitors can also catch screenings of short films or uncover unique stories from Asia and Hong Kong.

Tickets go on sale April 16 at 6pm via the Arena-Tix platform, with standard entry priced at $180 and concessionary tickets for $140. Limited VIP packages with guided tours and exclusive souvenirs are also available.

Back by popular demand, the Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong Cake Shop pop-up is returning to IFC Mall (Kiosk LA15, L1) from August 4, 2026, through February 14, 2027. Led by executive pastry chef Ringo Chan, this pop-up will be bringing signature creations, exclusive bakes, and limited-edition monthly releases. Highlights include Japanese cheese tarts, an oatmeal raisin cookie selection, and a grab-and-go morning menu. A range of Danish pastries as well as sliced and petit cakes will also be available throughout the day.

The golden age of Hong Kong cinema saw the production of blockbuster titles like A Better Tomorrow (1986), The Conman (1998), and Infernal Affairs (2002). Packed with action, suspense, and good ol’ “nonsense” humour, these iconic crime films not only offer gripping stories but also capture the essence of life in 70s and 80s Hong Kong. Now, cinephiles can relive their favourite scenes from these classics at the Old Yau Ma Tei Police Station. ‘Yau Ma Tei Police Station: A Cinematic Journey’ delves into local cop film classics through reconstructed sets, collectibles, original scripts, and much more. 

This nostalgic exhibition is now open at the Old Yau Ma Tei Police Station, 627 Canton Road, Yau Ma Tei. Tickets are priced at $30 per person, with concessionary tickets available at $10 per person. Children aged six or below can enter the exhibition for free. Make sure to book your tickets online at cultural.cityline.com, as there will not be tickets onsite. Find out more at fpf.ccidahk.gov.hk. 

Immerse yourself in the forgotten days of the Kowloon Walled City at this epic movie set exhibition, located on the original site of the infamous Kowloon Walled City. Featuring incredibly detailed recreations of shops and other setups from the award-winning Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In, the exhibition will let visitors travel back in time to the Walled City in the 1980s.

From the local cafe to the dental clinic, the attention to detail is truly impressive. There's even a small 'screen room' mimicking the rooftops of old buildings back in the day, where visitors can sit and watch the neighbourhood turn from day to night, and listen to the roaring sound of low-flying airplanes over the Walled City area.

Check out our guide for everything you need to know about the exhibition, from dates and opening hours to highlights not to be missed.

‘The Hong Kong Jockey Club Series: The Art Plaza Project at the Hong Kong Palace Museum’ is a multimedia initiative that takes traditional Chinese garden aesthetics as the main inspiration. The project features large installations by five local artists and an architect, each creative bringing a unique contemporary interpretation of traditional zen garden elements to the showcase, where iconic pavilions, flowing water, and aesthetic rock formations are reimagined with materials found in our bustling city, such as bamboo, metal, and fabric. 

This exhibition will be open to the public until November 2, 2026 at the Museum Plaza at the Hong Kong Palace Museum. Entry is free of charge during the museum’s opening hours. 

Celebrate the life and legacy of Hong Kong icon Leslie Cheung at the Hong Kong Heritage Museum’s retrospective exhibition, ‘Miss You Much · Leslie 70th Birthday · Exhibition’. Featuring over 300 curated items – including private collections loaned by Daffy Tong and Florence Chan – the display highlights 11 iconic stage costumes from his concert tours, never-before-seen items such as personal furniture and rare photos, along with an intimate recreation of his former home designed by his original interior designer. Visitors can also catch free screenings of six classic films, including A Better Tomorrow and Rouge, as well as a special screening of Cheung’s ‘Live in Concert 97’ towards the end of the year. Admission is completely free, with first-come, first-served film tickets distributed at noon on screening days.