But 23 of the 35 booths closed hours ahead of schedule when the number of visitors thinned as protesters joined the annual July 1 protest march, which started nearby in the same park.

Julian Lau, who was working at the booth for the Hong Kong Freestyle Kendama Association, said some left as early as 2pm.

“They left because there were too few people attending the festival, and some left because they want to attend the protest next to the festival,” he said.

The Asian Robotics League booth was packing up and getting ready to leave at around 4pm. Ruby Lau, who was running the booth, said it was closing because the number of visitors had been affected by the protest next door.

“Our event is for teenagers, and a lot of them came this morning, until the protest began in the afternoon,” she said. “Many parents were afraid the protesters might be violent, so they stopped their children coming.”

Pro-Beijing group organising festival dismisses concerns about potential clashes with protesters

While 12 booths stayed open, a singer performed to a sparse audience in the afternoon.

Not all those there were in celebratory mood either, with some saying they also oppose the now-suspended bill, which would have allowed fugitive transfers to places Hong Kong does not have an extradition agreement with, including mainland China.

Raja Alyaan, a 17-year-old Pakistani student living in Hong Kong, went to the festival with his family and friends for the first time, as some social workers in the Pakistani community recommended it to him.

But Alyaan was also sceptical of the controversial extradition bill.

“Even Carrie Lam herself does not know the consequences of sending people to the mainland,” he said, referring to the city’s chief executive.

July 1 handover ceremony scaled back amid extradition bill protest security concerns

“The punishment there is much crueller,” he said, adding he might join the pro-democracy march later in the day.

“Hong Kong is our city too. We have to stand up to protect it.”

Zhao Zhuping, a 40-year-old apprentice painter who lives in Hong Kong, said the government was well-intentioned in proposing the bill, but there was a lack of public support.

“If the bill was in line with public opinion, there wouldn’t be 2 million people taking to the streets,” Zhao said.

Millions of Hongkongers turned out on two occasions last month to voice their discontent with the bill. Organisers of the rallies claimed there were 1.03 million people at the first march on June 9, with around 2 million people attending the second one seven days later.

Gilbert Cheung, a 70-year-old retiree who visited the festival, was also unconvinced by Lam’s comments on Monday morning where she said she had learned her lesson.

“I don’t think she is sincere,” Cheung said. “Judging from her facial expressions and tone every time she comes out to speak, we can tell whether she was truly sincere or not.”

A 70-year-old woman who only gave her name as Helen also said she was unimpressed with Lam’s earlier apology.

“She is definitely wrong for not listening to the people, even though she apologised,” she said, adding that all she hoped for was “to put an end to chaos in society”.

But there were some firm supporters of the government at the event.

Dephen Yiu, 50, a manager, said he did not agree with the protesters against the extradition bill.

“The government is trying to do something good, but the bill was distorted by people with bad intentions,” said Yiu, adding that Lam did not have to apologise as he regarded her mistake as minor.

Tong Man-chit, a 61-year-old housewife, said the city’s leader should be tougher in her administration.

“[Lam] was too soft, too gentle,” she said. “If we don’t support her, those who oppose her will be more savage.”