WestK FunFest opens with giant inflatable cat installation and 120 Easter programs

The third WestK FunFest opens Thursday (Mar 19) at the West Kowloon Cultural District and features more than 120 arts and family-friendly programs during the Easter holiday period.

Presented by WestK Performing Arts, the festival runs from March 19 to April 12 across the district, with more than half of its events offered free to the public.

A centerpiece of this year’s festival is The Cats that Slept for a Thousand Years, a large-scale interactive installation by UK creative studio Air Giants, making its Asian debut. For FunFest, the studio has expanded the installation from a single 10-meter cat into a family of two large cats and a kitten.

Installed at the Art Park’s Harborside East Lawn, the work features giant inflatable cats that emit purring sounds and heartbeat-like vibrations when touched. Originally commissioned by Manchester Museum, it will be on display until April 7 with free admission.

The festival program includes outdoor performances, workshops, and interactive installations. Freespace will host a retro-style playground with classic games, live DJ sessions over the Easter weekend, and an interactive video dance installation.

Pop-up performances at the Art Park will feature street dance, music, and circus acts, including samba percussion, double Dutch skipping, and Capoeira.

FunFest will also showcase works by young local artists from WestK Performing Arts’ Arts Impact Fellowship, including The Rhythm of Souls and Mushroom Fantasy, promoting youth engagement and creative expression.

Ticketed highlights include Rules of Summer, Tiger Tale, and Bob Marley for Babies, alongside the participatory circus piece To copy and immersive theater production Snowmelt. The Hong Kong Sinfonietta will also present a series reinterpreting classical music.

A market offering food, beverages, and retail stalls will run alongside the festival, while organizers said accessibility remains a focus, with audio-described tours and sign language sessions available.

The event aims to position West Kowloon as a cultural destination for residents and tourists during the holiday season.