This year’s Halloween celebration in Lan Kwai Fong was the busiest the district has seen since the start of the pandemic, with a significant increase in local patrons partying late into the night, according to the director of the Lan Kwai Fong Association.
The director, who was interviewed on a local radio program, reported that the area teemed with both citizens and tourists, with some estimating the crowd size to be two to three times larger than the previous year.
“The atmosphere was exceptionally vibrant,” the director, Cheung, said. “Bars and restaurants saw customers come and go multiple times throughout the evening, with restaurants turning tables at least once. We’re confident the turnover could see a 15 percent increase compared to last year.”
Typically, some bars in Lan Kwai Fong start winding down around 11:30 pm on weekdays. But on Halloween night, the area was bustling from 7 pm to midnight, with festivities continuing until 4 am. Cheung noted that there were even mainland tourists who had booked their flights two weeks prior to partake in the celebrations.
The recent Hong Kong Wine and Dine Festival and other festive activities contributed to the heightened festive atmosphere, Cheung said. Lan Kwai Fong enhanced the experience by offering on-site makeup services and launching Halloween-themed discounts and activities, including parties and DJ sets, which attracted a younger crowd. Promotional efforts were also intensified on mainland social media platforms, drawing in numerous tourists from the mainland.
According to Cheung, the majority of the patrons were locals, with mainlanders and overseas tourists making up about 20 percent of the total visitor flow. She observed that guests were generally cautious with their spending, opting for mid- to low-priced wines and focusing on enjoying the festivities, with only a few opting for champagne.
“This Halloween celebration in Lan Kwai Fong was a testament to the resilience and vibrancy of Hong Kong’s nightlife scene,” Cheung said. “It’s a promising sign of the city’s recovery and its ability to attract both local and international revelers.”
