Hong Kong culture chief says city capable of hosting mega events despite weekend music festival chaos

Kevin Yeung adds that he has raised bad organisation for Waterbomb Hong Kong with promoters and that outdoor event promoters should have contingency plans

He says government will ‘provide as much assistance as possible … but at the same time, the organiser needs to do a good job with preparations’

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Music fans enjoy the Waterbomb festival, after weather caused chaos and massive queues before the start of the event, which was also delayed. Photo: Handout

Published: 8:11pm, 3 Jun 2024

Hong Kong’s culture chief said he hoped that chaos that marred an outdoor music festival after stormy weather hit at the weekend would not make other promoters think the city was not fit to host major events.

Kevin Yeung Yun-hung, the secretary for culture, sports and tourism, was speaking on Monday as another outdoor concert organiser announced that it would move the event, scheduled for the end of the month, indoors to make sure it would not be affected by bad weather.

Yeung said he had raised the poor management of last weekend’s Waterbomb Hong Kong music festival with the organisers after eventgoers on Saturday had to endure long queues that lasted into the early hours of the next day to get their bags back from the cloakroom area.

Long queues also formed outside the West Kowloon Cultural District venue after the bad weather forced the start back an hour from the scheduled 2pm on Saturday, with many still outside when the festival began.

Yeung said the arrangements “had their flaws”, but highlighted it was a privately organised event and his bureau was not involved in its organisation.

“Although the bureau had helped to promote it, the operation and management was the organiser’s responsibility,” he explained.