For Your Diary: what’s on in Hong Kong for June

It’s a brand new month and it looks like the humidity and high temperatures are here to stay! But don’t sweat it, because there are plenty of events happening this month to take your mind off the dreadful weather! So get your diaries ready and check out our June Cultural Round-Up for our top pick of all the shows, concerts, exhibitions and events going on around town…

Rugby returns
Missing the Rugby Sevens already? Fear not! The British & Irish Lions take on The Barbarians for a rugby showdown right here in Hong Kong for their 125^th year anniversary tour. It will be the Lions’ first time playing in the 852, with the two teams meeting for only the second time ever in around 30 years! With The Lions representing the best players from the UK and The Barbarians boasting a side filled with top players from around the globe, this clash is going to be a good one!

SASSY GIVEAWAY: We have one pair of tickets to the match (worth $2000) to give away to one lucky Sassy reader! This giveaway is now closed and the winner is one lucky Ian T – enjoy!

When: 1 June, gates open at 4pm, kick-off at 7.30pm
Where: Hong Kong Stadium, 55 Eastern Hospital Road, So Kon Po, Hong Kong
How much: $750-$1290, available via www.hkticketing.com, 3128 8288

A night of cabaret
After the huge success of their previous sold-out cabaret nights, this ensemble of Hong Kong’s leading musical-theatre actors returns with a new show, White And Red (the title’s initials should give you a clue to its theme!). Get ready for a great night of music, theatre and drinks – with just a little bit of deep thinking thrown in for good measure too.

When: 5-8 June, 8pm
Where: The Cabaret Theatre, Fringe Club, 2 Lower Albert Road, Central, Hong Kong
How much: $160-$220 (includes one drink), available via www.hkticketing.com, 3128 8288

Ohmmmmm!
The annual Evolution Asia Yoga Conference is in town and it’s the one-stop event for all things yoga; with exhibitions, events, talks, shows and classes, newbies and enthusiasts alike will definitely discover something new. Plus, you can also pick up great new workout gear and equipment, and even bag a few complimentary samples, classes and goodies too. You’ll have mastered that downward dog in no time!

When: 6-9 June, see opening hours here
Where: South Wing, Phase 1, Old Wing, Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, 1 Expo Drive, Wan Chai, Hong Kong
How much: Visitors can enter the general conference area free of charge without registration; please see here for full price list for other passes.

It takes two…
Calling all tango dancers and lovers… The first ever Tango Salon Championship in Hong Kong is about to go down! Officially affiliated with the Asia and World Tango Championship, the stakes are high and the winners will be flown out to Tokyo to participate in the Asian Championship Semi-Finals. This event will attract dancers from all over Asia to compete in Argentine Tango, where couples improvise and perform without any sort of fixed routine (amazing!). This is nothing like your usual ballroom dances, so get ready for an evening of passion and sensuality.

When: 7-8 June, see full schedule here
Where: Tsim Sha Tsui Community Hall, 136A Nathan Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong
How much: $100 (qualifying round), $150 (semi-final & final), $200 (competition pass); available at the venue, by calling 9312 2442/9025 8001 or emailing [email protected]

Last chance to get super-sized
The tweets and Instagram pics of the giant rubber duck and huge roasted pig might have subsided… But if you decided to skip the hype and avoid the crowds last month, you should definitely consider giving these supersized inflatables a visit before they’re gone for good! Both the Rubber Duck Project at Harbour City and the Mobile M+ Inflation exhibition in West Kowloon Cultural District will end this month… and we think it’ll be a while before anything this size comes along again (check out what we thought of Mobile M+ here). So find your inner child and hit that giant bouncy Stonehenge with a vengeance!

When: Until 9 June
Where: Rubber Duck, Harbour City, Tsim Sha Tsui; Mobile M+, West Kowloon Cultural District, Kowloon
How much: Both free!

Enter the dragon!
June brings us only one public holiday (booo…), but at least it’s an exciting one! Tuen Ng Festival, also known as Dragonboat Festival, is celebrated with action-packed boat races, traditional drumming and parades, and yummy rice dumplings – sounds like our kinda festival! On the bank holiday itself, local races will take place all over Hong Kong (including Sha Tin, Stanley, Sai Kung and many other locations); meanwhile, the celebration continues through the end of June with the Dragon Boat Carnival, which includes the Hong Kong International Dragon Boat Races, the San Miguel Beerfest, a Dragonboat exhibition and much more! (P.S. Wanna get in on the action and join a dragon boat team? Check out our article here for some rowing inspo!)

When: 12 June (local races), 21-23 June (Dragon Boat Carnival)
Where: See details for local races here; Dragon Boat Carnival, Victoria Harbour
How much: Free entry!

The wine & dine experience
Tired of the usual high teas and Sunday buffets? Need some quality wine and gourmet in your life? Well, The Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong is here to grant all your wishes with their 2^nd Annual Asia-Pacific Food and Wine Festival. We’re talking top international chefs, celebrated chocolatiers and pâtissiers and the very best affineur and wineries… Cooking classes from Michelin chefs? Check. Five course chocolate tasting? Check. A wine and cheese carnival? Double-check! The highlight of the festival is the All-Star Brunch (with optional free-flow Cristal) prepared by top chefs from eight different countries. Girls, I think we’ll be needing to loosen our belts a few notches for this one!

When: 13-16 June; see full schedule here
Where: The Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong, Hong Kong International Commerce Centre, 1 Austin Road West, Kowloon, Hong Kong
How much: Prices vary according to activity; for more info and reservations, contact 2263 2270 or [email protected]

Oh sometimes I get a good feeling…
Party animals rejoice! After Afrojack and David Guetta, Avicii is the next big thing to hit Hong Kong this year. The young Swedish DJ has swept nations with hits like Fade Into Darkness and Levels, and headlined major music festivals like Lollapalooza and the Future Music Festival; he’s also the first in a series of international music acts (including other renowned DJs like Hard Rock Sofa, MAKJ and Iron Kids) that Impulse@Star Hall will be bringing to HK, so stay tuned for more rocking concerts. Grab a ticket while you can girls, and don’t forget the complimentary glass of champagne!

When: 14 June, 9.45pm
Where: Star Hall, KITEC, 1 Trademart Drive, Kowloon Bay, Hong Kong
How much: $780-980 (includes one glass of champagne), available via www.hkticketing.com, 3128 8288

En pointe
The Hong Kong Ballet is back with another beautiful show! This time, it’s an adaptation of Franz Lehár’s romantic operetta, The Merry Widow; telling the story of a prince who needs to marry a rich widow to keep his country from financial ruin (oh yeah… but the widow just happens to be his old flame!), the stage is set for an irresistible mix of comedy, romance and stunning choreography. Not forgetting some gorgeously decadent costumes too!

When: 14-16 June, 7.30pm; 15-16 June, 2.30pm
Where: Grand Theatre, Hong Kong Cultural Centre, 10 Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong
How much: $140-$1000, available via www.urbtix.hk, 2111 5999

Well heeled
Our heads are spinning from all the various Art Basel shows around town, but here’s one that caught our eye that carries on well into June – an art exhibition from two top Chinese artists, Ye Hongxing and Qin Weihong, in collaboration with Christian Louboutin! They’ll be hosting a pop-up gallery in the former Louboutin boutique on On Lan Street featuring Hongxing’s mixed media jewel-like mosaics, whilst the store on Wyndham will be displaying two of Weihong’s East-meets-West sculptures. A nifty dose of art and culture, plus the chance to check out some of Louboutin’s killer heels? Sounds like the perfect day out to us!

When: Until 23 June
Where: Gallery, 7 On Lan Street, Central & Christian Louboutin Boutique, 10-12 Wyndham Street, Central, Hong Kong
How much: Free entry

Modern opera
Apart from vibratos that shatter the windows, opera can have a humorous side too! Duetto: the Maid Made Mistress & Johnny Xi are a pair of one-act plays, adapted from Italian opera, turned into comedies, translated into English and re-set for the Hong Kong stage – consider this an English-language introduction to two Italian classics, requiring zero knowledge about opera whatsoever (phew!). One tells the story of a social-climbing maid, the other a wily conman who takes advantage of his nearest and dearest. Two for the price of one? We’re in!

When: 26-29 June, 7.30pm; 29 June, 2pm
Where: Underground Theatre, Fringe Club, 2 Lower Albert Road, Central, Hong Kong
How much: $180-$200, available via www.hkticketing.com, 3128 8288

Kawaii!
I’m sure you’ll recognise those rainbow coloured flowers when you see them… yes, the ever popular Takashi Murakami is back in town with his 9^th solo exhibition here in Hong Kong. Showcasing a set of new paintings that feature his alter-ego cartoon character Mr. Dob, Murakami’s art is heavily influenced by Japanese manga and kawaii culture – a favourite with art newbies and seasoned collectors alike.

When: Until 6 July, Tuesdays-Saturdays, 11am-8pm
Where: Galerie Perrotin, 17/F, 50 Connaught Road, Central, Hong Kong
How much: Free!