Carnival homes in on future with food

A five-day food carnival, named "Hometown Market," kicked off on the football pitches of Victoria Park from Saturday.

The event, which ends on Wednesday, features over 220 booths selling products and dishes from 28 mainland provinces.

This is the second consecutive year that the carnival was held at Victoria Park, but the 2024 event was extended from three days to five.

This meant the carnival coincides with this year's June 4 anniversary, which in the past saw democracy activists use the pitches as part of their commemorations of the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown.

The annual June 4 vigil at Victoria Park has been banned since its last official event in 2019.

Nevertheless, a heavy police presence was reported in the vicinity, with security checks at both entrances to the park.

Some people entering the park said there was "no conflict" between the carnival and the June 4 anniversary, suggesting it was time for society to "look ahead."

"I think it's OK, as this [Victoria Park] is the most suitable venue for the carnival due to its ample space and convenient transportation," Chung said.

Another, Liu, said he didn't care much about the timing overlap, stating that "as long as people enjoy the event and feel happy, it'll be fine."

However, senior counsel and executive councillor Ronny Tong Ka-wah said that while commemorating the 1989 incident is not seditious, the government has been cautious about such gatherings, which have been "hijacked for other purposes" since 2019.

"People can mourn at home to express their disapproval, rather than through public activities that may incite others to hate the government," Tong said.

Former chief executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor visited the carnival briefly, interacting with merchants and the public.

She stayed for less than half an hour, leaving without responding to any questions.

Merchants said business was "much better than expected," with some even seeing a shortage of stocks only a day after opening.

The deputy secretary general of the Federation of Hong Kong Nei Mongol Fraternal Association, Lilian Bao Yanli, said demand exceeded expectations.

Local specialties, such as milk tea, beef jerky and cheese, have been "almost sold out" as of yesterday and they had to order more from the mainland.

A tea merchant from Zhangjiajie and a barbecue vendor from Zibo saw the event as a chance to promote regional products and tourism destinations.

A Tsingtao beer merchant expects business to increase by over 30 percent compared to last year.