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Lauren James
Lauren James
Lauren James joined SCMP as part of the Young Post team in 2015, before moving to the Culture desk in 2017. Originally from the UK, she enjoys writing about arts and entertainment, environmental issues, health and fitness, technology and food. She is an avid gig-goer and passionate about Hong Kong's music scene.

Forget Coachella and Glastonbury – it’s time you sampled some of the biggest and best music festivals in Asia. With Stormzy, Slipknot and Lorde among the big names performing, these are the events to put on your calendar.

Teen skydiving champion Kyra Poh from Singapore got into the sport by chance as a child. Now the schoolgirl is one of only two indoor skydivers to have earned sponsorship from Red Bull. She dreams of competing at the Olympics.

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Impersonator Drew Galdron has seen business boom since Boris Johnson became prime minister. Despite sharing looks with his doppelgänger, their politics are worlds apart, as he shows on a tour in Hong Kong.

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The previous large-scale protests in Hong Kong, 2014’s Occupy movement, spawned post-punk band David Boring, but they’ve steered clear of singing about the current protests. Ahead of their first gig in months, they reflect on playing South by Southwest and their big break.

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The regeneration of Wedding Card Street in Wan Chai, transformed into pedestrianised and picture-perfect Lee Tung Street, raised rents and pushed out the locals that gave the area its charm.

Whether it’s the Tokyo Olympics, the US election, Facebook Libra launching, Nasa’s Mars exploration or the UK leaving the European Union, here are 20 reasons 2020 will be a year to remember.

Pink Boots Society’s Hong Kong chapter hopes its limited-edition pink ale, co-produced with a craft brewery, helps persuade more women to drink beer and join the brewing industry.

Thunderstorms battered the city on 59 days between February and October, about 50 per cent more than the average, and there were a record number of hot nights.

With Frozen 2 opening in cinemas this weekend, we talk to the movie’s writers and directors about the new songs, story, themes and the relationship between princess sisters Elsa and Anna.

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Already enjoyed by people in 20 countries worldwide, The Lion King musical is coming to Hong Kong for Christmas. Cast and crew talk about what has changed since its debut in 1997.

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Akira, 38, promised to make Lin, 44, the happiest woman in the world and spoke of his good fortune to have found her. Thanks to couple’s long-standing history of modelling for Ralph Lauren, they both wore the label for ceremony.

Supported by celebrities Helen Mirren and Will Smith, the Big Sleep Out is a global event that aims to raise funds and awareness and increase empathy for homeless people.

K-pop sensations BTS, Blackpink and Twice, and DJ Alan Walker, also feature on list of 10 most-played artists of the year on YouTube in Hong Kong, as well as local stars G.E.M., Joey Yung and Hins Cheung.

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From athletes and models to restaurateurs, we ask popular proponents of vegan, plant-based eating to share tips on getting the most benefits from the switch and avoiding the mistakes they made.

Established live favourites such as post-punk group David Boring and singer-songwriter Kevin Kaho Tsui will perform on Central Harbourfront, along with 50 other Hong Kong acts. These are the nine you shouldn’t miss.

With their industry knowledge and family-owned factory, Christine Chow and Ivan Tang, the founders of Tove & Libra, talk about creating an environmentally responsible women’s fashion line.

Back playing in Hong Kong 25 years after her debut, soloist newly named the 2020 Instrumentalist of the Year by Musical America Worldwide talks about succeeding in the male-dominated world of classical guitar.

During times of protest, music can serve as a uniting and rallying force, and sometimes becomes a focal point. From rap to metal to punk, local groups are expressing their feelings about the unrest.

The eight sessions organised by the Dove Tales Theatre Company aim to prepare amateur actors for auditions for upcoming Shakespeare in the Park performances.

 The "Godfather of Canto-pop" left an indelible mark on Hong Kong culture with a prolific career that began in the 1970s, and his anthems are still being sung to unite protesters today.

Tam, who died 17 years ago on Friday aged 57, made Canto-pop unabashedly Hong Kong’s with his extravagant stage shows, costumes and dancing. Today his songs of unity have found a place among Hong Kong’s protest movement.

From Singapore to Siberia, the weekly 5km running event encourages people of all shapes and sizes to take part. Despite Hongkongers’ love of running, there is no Parkrun in the city. But it’s only a matter of time.

The eco-aware working space in an old Quarry Bay toy manufacturer’s warehouse has a distinctly Hong Kong feel, with lockers made to resemble vintage Chinese medicine cabinets

Hong Kong manufacturer has launched a pilot recycling scheme for drink cartons in schools. It will be extended to include the public later. Last year Vitasoy was criticised over the volume of its cartons going to landfill.

One of the best trails in the world, according to National Geographic magazine, the MacLehose was named after a former Hong Kong governor who was an avid hiker.