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Hong Kong Pride returns with ‘Stay in Love’ theme

By BRODY LEVESQUE OF THE LOS ANGELES BLADE, COURTESY OF THE NATIONAL LGBT MEDIA ASSOCIATION
ABOVE: Graphic via Hong Kong Pride/Twitter.

The annual Hong Kong Pride Parade was scaled back to in-person events on Nov. 13 under the theme of “Stay in Love.”

Unable to hold a Pride parade this year due to ongoing coronavirus pandemic restrictions, organizers created ‘The Rainbow Market’ a new concept of a bazaar with an LGBTQ twist.

According to the organizers, the Rainbow Market was divided into three zones: The Market Zone, which featured booths by different businesses that support the LGBTQ community; the Stay in Love Zone, where booths were set up by sponsors, participating groups, and the official activity booths of Hong Kong Pride Parade; and the Pride Zone, where visitors had plenty of photo ops at different rainbow art installations.

“Even though you weren’t courageous enough to set foot on the streets, even if we can’t parade in the streets that day, there will always be a way to support the LGBT community,” Hong Kong Pride Parade organizers said in a statement in September when the events calendar was announced.

“Although we could not take to the street this year, we are satisfied with the atmosphere. I think the format of the market can bring everyone closer and there is more cooperation. I believe every one of us is happy with meeting each other today,” representative Cuby Lee of the Hong Kong Pride Parade Committee told the South China Morning Post.

The event was attended by hundreds who lined up early at the venue’s entrance to have their temperatures checked and comply with the other pandemic protocols. The crowd then milled about the three main areas which were comprised of;

  • Market Zone – around 30 small booths of different types of LGBT supportive businesses.
  • Stay in Love Zone – around 20 booths of sponsors, participating groups and the official activity booths of Hong Kong Pride Parade.
  • Pride Zone – different types of rainbow art installations for photo taking.

Organizers also announced that the annual Pride parade is slated to return in the Fall of 2022. The parade will kick off at 2 pm next year from Victoria Park in Causeway Bay. The event includes entertainment, vendors and after-parties. Everyone is encouraged to wear yellow, the color in the Pride rainbow that symbolizes sunlight.

This year’s events in the Rainbow Market were also attended by the UK in Hong Kong, Consul General Brian Davidson, who tweeted that he and his family went to the Rainbow Market in Kwun Tong and took this amazing opportunity to meet and interact with friends and participants.

The coronavirus pandemic had also postponed Gay Games Hong Kong 2022. The committee organizing the quadrennial international LGBTQ sports event scheduled to take place in Hong Kong in November 2022, announced on Sept. 15 that the Gay Games will be postponed for one year due to concerns over the COVID-19 pandemic.

“After much internal deliberation and in consultation with the Federation of Gay Games (FGG) leadership and board, it has been decided that Gay Games 11, originally scheduled for November 2022, will be postponed to November 2023 in Hong Kong,” a statement released by the organizing committee says.

“This decision has been made primarily due to the unpredictable progression of COVID variants and the corresponding travel restrictions that continue to make it challenging for participants from around the world to make plans to travel to Hong Kong,” the statement says.

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