bc magazine

Rugby Week 2025

After the individual creativity of Art Week, the wonders of team creativity are on display as Rugby Week 2025 scrums down.

The traditional rugby week curtain-raiser Kowloonfest celebrates it’s twentieth-anniversary tournament!

A new addition to Hong Kong’s Rugby Week is the Hong Kong International Touch Championship 2025. Touch rugby’s increasing popularity sees a move for the tournament to ‘Rugby Week’ with the hope of attracting new players and more fans. At last years

The best ‘rugby’ of the week, the Hong Kong 10s at Hong Kong Football Club, proper scrums and brutal power forward play are features of the Tens – especially on Thursday night. It’s perhaps the closest we in Hong Kong can get to seeing modern rugby up close and personal. Select teams packed with talent and big names, new and old, from around the world bring a physicality and rawness to the rugby images seen on television that really needs to be experienced in person.

Amidst the Sevens partying, a rugby tournament takes place… And this year it’s going to be at the new 50,000 seater Kai Tak Stadium… The main question among Sevens fans is will the move to the new stadium allow the HK Sevens to recover its allure as one of the world’s great sporting/social events? Tickets are still available, which is not a good sign…

Here are the dates for your Rugby Week 2025 diary.

Hong Kong International Touch Championship 2025
When: 23 March, 2025
Where: Happy Valley Recreation Ground
How much: tbc
More info: www.facebook.com/hktouch

Kowloon Fest – Twentieth Anniversay
When: 27 March 2025
Where: Kings Park
How much: Free
More info: www.rugbyfest.org

Hong Kong Tens
When: 26-27 March, 2025
Where: Hong Kong Football Club
How much: tbc
More info: www.hkfc10s.com

HK Sevens
HK Sevens
Date: 28-30 March 2025
Venue: Kai Tak Stadium
Tickets: $1,950
More info: www.HKsevens.com

Happy New Year!

All of us at bc magazine would like to wish you a Happy, Healthy and Prosperous 2025!

image: HK Tourism

Cage and Coffin Homes in Twenty Twenty-four

A recently published video by YouTuber Drew Binsky reminds the world of Hong Kong’s cage and coffin homes.

The video also captures the unique spirit and generosity of HongKongers and it’s that, that makes Hong Kong such a wonderful place.

Regrettably, the government’s planned new legislation only covers sub-divided flats – not cage or coffin homes.

https://youtu.be/6amK2BgjXk8?si=XMqTsxHD3rm_gRNm

Inside Hong Kong's Coffin-Sized Apartments (https://youtu.be/6amK2BgjXk8?si=XMqTsxHD3rm_gRNm)

Grand Opening @ King Ludwig am Meer, Soho West – 10 November, 2024

The King Parrot Group celebrated the opening of their latest restaurant King Ludwig am Meer in Soho West with a party on 10 November, 2024.

Okay, I know many of you will go ‘Soho West!’ Well, think of Sai Wan Ho’s Soho East in the West. It’s a short walk from Nam Cheong MTR, and while it is all high-rise concrete and glass… The waterfront promenade is pet friendly, faces west to catch the sunset, and even boasts a view of Hong Kong Island. You can also, sort of, walk along the water’s edge all the way to West Kowloon and thence to TST and the Star Ferry.

All in all, in a very manufactured way, it is rather a nice place to grab some fresh air – especially now you can enjoy a cold beer at King Ludwig and sit outside!

Taking the Piss!! $5,288.50

Tickets for the Hong Kong Sevens at the new Kai Tak Stadium go on sale today and the HK Rugby Union have decided in their infinite wisdom, and outright greed, to add a ‘South Stand Upgrade’ price to the basic entry ticket.

The daily, yes daily, upgrade prices are $750 (Fri), $1,250 (Sat) and $1,250 (Sun) on top of the $1,950 ticket. Spending the weekend in the South Stand – without drinks or food- will cost $5,200!!!

Talking about ducking destroying part of what made the HK Sevens unique – hopefully, everyone will boycott the new ‘South Stand’ and there’ll be a big embarrassing empty stand exposing HK rugby’s greed to the world.

Hong Kong Sevens
Date: 28-30 March 2025
Venue: Kai Tak Stadium
Tickets: $1,950
South stand surcharge $750 (Fri), $1,250 (Sat), $1,250 (Sun)
More info: www.HKsevens.com

USMEF Oktoberfest in Central Market – 29 October, 2024

Oktoberfest is one of those fun festivals that has been adopted globally. And just as Songkran encourages us to soak others in water, Oktoberfest is an ‘excuse’ for people around the world to have fun and dance on the table…

The US Meat Export Federation hosted a night at Oktoberfest in Central Market on 29 October. The open centre of the market has been converted into a Hong Kong style German Beer Hall including a stage where traditional German music from the Notenhobler’s sets the mood.

There’s a range of traditional German dishes: pork knuckle, pretzels, sauerkraut, apple strudel and some delicious US pork ribs.

After dinner, while enjoying your beer, you can blow the big horn and start the party with some fun games.

Click here for the full gallery of images

Legends Assemble

Legends Assemble
Date: 8pm, 20 December 2024
Venue: HK Stadium
Tickets: $2,480, $1,980, $1,680, $1,180, $680

The Hong Kong Photo Contest 2024

The Hong Kong Photo Contest 2024, organised by National Geographic, is open for entries for photos taken in Hong Kong before 3 December 2024.

This year’s six categories: City; Wildlife; Landscape; People; Mobile and Sports.

Winners will be chosen in March 2025, with the winner’s photograph in each category being published in National Geographic magazine (Traditional Chinese edition).

Submission guidelines can be found here