Evening fairs, discounts and more to revive nightlife
Weekend night bazaars at promenades and discounts on entertainment are just some of the activities under a government campaign to spice up Hong Kong's nightlife.  Dubbed “Night Vibes Hong Kong”, the campaign will span several major holidays between the mid-Autumn Festival in late September and early 2024.  Financial Secretary Paul Chan said the government is taking the lead to spur the economy at night, pointing to the change in people's lifestyle and habits after the Covid pandemic.  "Sometimes, the streets are already quiet by 9pm. Back then, we could tell our friends that we were working and asked them to wait for us while eating. But now, last order seems to be 9pm," he said at Thursday's launch ceremony.  The government is hoping to provide people with more options for gatherings at night and make the city's nightlife more lively, Chan added.  A number of existing activities, such as the Tai Hang Fire Dragon Dance on the mid-Autumn Festival, the Wine and Dine Festival, as well as festivities on National Day and New Year's Eve, have also been included under the campaign.  "If [an event] is welcomed by the public, with good impact and [is] popular, there is no point of avoiding it, but rather inject new energy into it, inject more vibrancy into it, and make it more interesting and more attractive, so that it can be made available to more members of the public or bring new experiences," Chan told reporters afterwards. "Perhaps what we need to do is to continue to innovate and reinvent ourselves, no matter if it is a new event or an old event."  Waterfront night markets in Wan Chai, Kennedy Town and Kwun Tong – featuring food, performances and shows – are another highlight of the campaign, which will be co-organised by the administration and non-government groups. "We will not be charging the non-government organisations any rent for the use of the space. So accordingly, if these organisations want to bring in store operators for selling, for example, some food or small souvenirs, they do not have to and they cannot charge any rent from those store operators," said development secretary Bernadette Linn.  Shopping malls are to offer discounts as they extend their hours, while evening showtimes at cinemas will be cheaper. MTR commuters are to get a free ride for every five times they exit a station after 10.30pm. From Fridays to Sundays, as well as on public holidays, three government-run museums will open until 10pm. The M+ Museum at the West Kowloon Cultural District and Tai Kwun are to hold nighttime showcases.  The city's two theme parks, meanwhile, are to include Halloween-themed attractions. The Happy Valley Racecourse, for its part, will have free admission every Wednesday for people to enjoy performances, food and drinks.