It is time to party - SoHo style. Restaurateurs and bar owners of Hong Kong's coolest urban district welcome everyone to drop by next Sunday for a special, day-long festival designed to shake off the blues, now that life is getting back to normal as the threat of Sars diminishes. Organisers are taking an organic approach to the event. That means out with the point-by-point itinerary and in with the free form. Look forward to a great selection of live jazz, folk and pop music from local and international performers. Another given is the spirit of the day-long festival. With the entire street given over to the pedestrian-friendly event (10am to 6pm), visitors will be strolling along, sampling the cuisine and generally lounging the day away in true summer fashion. In keeping with the carnival spirit, there will be wacky and wonderful jugglers, buskers, and old-style street performers to entertain the whole family. Shops and art galleries will be open for business all day. Give-aways and prizes include restaurant vouchers and a return ticket for two to San Francisco (courtesy of United Airways). The food at the festival will reflect the cultural and ethnic variety for which SoHo is famed. Visitors can pull up a chair and sample dishes in the alfresco dining areas outside restaurants. Seating for more than 100 people will be available in various locations fronting Staunton Street. Take note, the performers will not stand still. Working from impromptu positions along the street, the artists will move among the crowd in Cirque du Soleil-style. That means audience participation is expected. The line-up includes jugglers, clowns, street theatre, and magicians. The musical mix will explore the 'unplugged' theme in a style seldom seen in Hong Kong. SoHo Association chairman Nimal Jayawardena says the list of musicians is still being finalised, but expect to see some of the finest acoustic groups around. The programme includes a selection of jazz, folk, pop and world music.
