Leading up to the Lunar New Year holiday, Hong Kong holds fairs in
15 different locations for a period of 7 days. A section of the fairs are dedicated to flower markets but much else is also sold. A large number of stalls are run by college students to gain sales experience and to hopefully make some money.
I recently visited two of the largest fairs--one at Fa Hui Park in Sham Shui Po the night of the opening day and another at Victoria Park in Causeway Bay several days later. I also briefly stopped by a smaller fair in Kwun Tong. The Hong Kong fairs reminded me of a Lunar New Year fair I visited in Guangzhou 3 years ago. However, some of what I saw in Hong Kong reflected a culture specific to there and one set of stalls in particular was strikingly unlike anything one could expect to see at a fair in mainland China. I'll save that topic for a later post.
Below are assorted scenes capturing a small taste of the Hong Kong fairs. The first 10 photos are from Fa Hui Park and the second 10 are from Victoria Park. The fair at Victoria Park was larger and, at least when I went, the crowds were far denser. In some sections it required a significant effort simply to cross an aisle from one booth to another. Several Hongkongers said that's part of the experience which draws them there.
![four female college students wearing large read bows on their heads and holding bags and stuffed toys](https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-8eE9eSNY62o/UvEjKk9ZGgI/AAAAAAAAKro/qhUTL7RTqss/s640/hong-kong-fa-hui-fair-to-moon.jpg) |
These college students at the Fa Hui Lunar New Year Fair tried their best to sell me a stuffed toy. |
![little girl hugging a stuffed toy](https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-6pVnAQ8IAzE/UvEjHh7VQrI/AAAAAAAAKrY/0gM7SBFjlTo/s640/hong-kong-fa-hui-fair-hug-doll.jpg) |
Fortunately, they found a more appreciative potential customer. |
![male college student making a Magic Goo balloon](https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-snHYpOCdJek/UvEjIjraNrI/AAAAAAAAKoQ/jKnmZ8aMO1o/s640/hong-kong-fa-hui-fair-magic-goo.jpg) |
If stuffed toys weren't your thing, perhaps some German Magic Goo would do the trick. |
![stall selling spicy XO sauce](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Kr71WbIpK2U/UvEjKddQ4pI/AAAAAAAAKqo/__YRs6GbZA8/s640/hong-kong-fa-hui-fair-spicy-sauce.jpg) |
Locally-made spicy XO sauce |
![stall selling kimchi](https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-SsxA82hnkdQ/UvEjIdzh46I/AAAAAAAAKrw/p1gA-nowPdQ/s640/hong-kong-fa-hui-fair-kimchi.jpg) |
Also spicy: Korean kimchi |
![purple orchids at the Fa Hui Lunar New Year Fair in Hong Kong](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-TOitSVuAI4o/UvEjHqfvuLI/AAAAAAAAKrI/psF8NKQTInY/s640/hong-kong-fa-hui-fair-flowers.jpg) |
A small sample of the flowers for sale |
![colorful pinwheels](https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-p04HuoBW06c/UvEjJTMfqnI/AAAAAAAAKq4/2ZJFn4bWLps/s640/hong-kong-fa-hui-fair-pinwheels.jpg) |
Pinwheels are a popular part of the holiday. |
![seven college students holding stuffed toys](https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-M0_eCw3jlpo/UvEjKU0-K8I/AAAAAAAAKqQ/9wkcH6QDHOg/s640/hong-kong-fa-hui-fair-stuffed-cigarette.jpg) |
If you wanted a giant "no smoking" stuffed cigarette, this was your place. |
![large food stall with signs for Vitasoy](https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-GedJfPEBGKk/UvEjHgcsRfI/AAAAAAAAKqY/Pu8DqvI6inM/s640/hong-kong-fa-hui-fair-food.jpg) |
Like an American fair, food was available. |
![large pot of Chinese style meatballs](https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-XHi09oQ87-A/UvEjIrJwIpI/AAAAAAAAKl4/HDQOXDtQJKw/s640/hong-kong-fa-hui-fair-meat-balls.jpg) |
Although many of the options differed. |
![dense crowd at the Victoria Park Lunar New Year Fair in Hong Kong](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-HRkiP7taDNI/UvEjPY7AizI/AAAAAAAAKqA/aLceGuE_eAo/s640/hong-kong-victoria-fair-crowd.jpg) |
Sections of the Victoria Park Lunar New Year Fair seemed completely packed during the day, but one vendor told me it would become even more crowded that night. |
![little girl sitting on a mans shoulders](https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-dc4v24vrlc8/UvEjPrqyp9I/AAAAAAAAKog/WkeqWY5xoLo/s640/hong-kong-victoria-fair-girl-shoulders.jpg) |
High perches were needed by some. |
![woman at a stall selling and demonstrating Nano Diamond Coating](https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-3iL3c8XszXc/UvEjQKZ3YrI/AAAAAAAAKpg/FMYSu6CVdok/s640/hong-kong-victoria-fair-nano.jpg) |
One of the more pragmatic offerings |
![man demonstrating a shower water filter](https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-dMMNtKD96Pk/UvEjRBDzBkI/AAAAAAAAKoA/6NCNXBtyHRw/s640/hong-kong-victoria-fair-shower-filter.jpg) |
Shower water filters |
![woman looking at flowers](https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-Faw643nBOGA/UvEjPQQrAgI/AAAAAAAAKpQ/l_1jglc1cco/s640/hong-kong-victoria-fair-flowers.jpg) |
More flowers |
![two college students hold stuffed toys](https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-cr3LgLBUqK4/UvEjSe7lyhI/AAAAAAAAKoo/Tw25aUL_6sw/s640/hong-kong-victoria-fair-stuffed.jpg) |
And more stuffed toys |
![a stall sign with Barack Obama's head on a horse body](https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-Ru0rWE1LW14/UvEjQVa3KbI/AAAAAAAAKpA/5uwpnMQUSmA/s640/hong-kong-victoria-fair-obama.jpg) |
Many of the signs and names for the students' stalls incorporated a horse theme in recognition of the Chinese zodiac sign for the new year. In this case, they also played on the fact that Barack Obama's name in Chinese includes the character for "horse". |
![young woman selling signs reading "NEXT STATION UNIVERSITY", "YOU ARE AN ASSHOLE", "EXCEED THREE EXPLODE FOUR", etc.](https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-H8XXGHjaEEY/UvEjRWtXIMI/AAAAAAAAKpw/eO9_J8r32_4/s640/hong-kong-victoria-fair-signs.jpg) |
Some college students sold their own creations which they said reflected Hong Kong culture. |
![man with blue dyed hair holding an item while many people in a crowd reach out their hands](https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-TcW3YOKyFyk/UvEjO9BL_hI/AAAAAAAAKoY/evD9Gdn0q5Y/s640/hong-kong-victoria-fair-blue-hair.jpg) |
A blue-haired man handing out free items had no problem drawing a crowd. |
![high school boy and girl holding and wearing pink inflatable items and a pink stuffed animal](https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-k66uA9EsPDU/UvEjQpXhNYI/AAAAAAAAKow/sslweSdLIlY/s640/hong-kong-victoria-fair-pink.jpg) |
Two friendly high-school students seeking customers in a less crowded area |
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