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The second day of the Animation-Comic-Game Hong Kong (ACGHK) drew massive crowds on Saturday, with enthusiastic fans enduring two-hour queues and vendors expressing concern that an approaching typhoon could severely impact weekend sales.
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Fans endure long waits but enjoy a spacious venue
Thousands of attendees packed the venue as the weekend began, though many noted that the expanded exhibition space made navigating the event much more comfortable than in previous years.
Several visitors reported waiting up to two hours to enter the hall. One attendee noted that the indoor queuing area made the long wait bearable, setting aside a budget of around HK$1,000 for merchandise.
A young fan dressed as Spider-Man spent HK$1,000 on collectible cards after a shorter thirty-minute wait, hoping the weather would hold up so he could return the next day.
Cosplayers also braved the long lines, with one mentioning that the extended wait caused their makeup to melt, though they still planned to spend around $500 on event souvenirs once inside.
Another cosplayer budgeted HK$800 for the day, noting they specifically chose to attend on Saturday to avoid the impending bad weather on Sunday.
Vendors face sales drop amid looming typhoon threats
While the expanded layout pleased visitors, some exhibitors felt the extra space negatively impacted their bottom line.
A representative from a merchandise booth reported a sales drop of up to thirty percent compared to last year, attributing the decline to the dispersed crowds and a slightly remote booth location. They estimated that customers were spending an average of HK$200 to HK$250.
Another toy vendor noted that afternoon foot traffic met their expectations, with exclusive pre-order items selling well and average customer spending hovering around HK$300 to HK$400.
However, both merchants expressed significant concern over the approaching typhoon, fearing that potential weather-related closures on Sunday could severely cut into their weekend profits, especially since the organizers typically do not extend the exhibition hours to compensate for bad weather.
