As we all know, Halloween is not really about the candy, the ghost stories and nor is it about those Jack O Lantern pumpkins. To most of us, Halloween is all about dressing up. As soon as the sun went down, the inhabitants of Hong Kong stripped themselves of their demure façade; businessmen traded in their expensive suits for a cape and leggings, teenage girls brushed on their glittery makeup and everyone didn’t hold back on the fake blood.In what was recorded to be the biggest turn out in HK history, Lan Kwai Fong’s annual Halloween extravaganza attracted over 40,000 people. The event took up the whole of the Lan Kwai Fong district, famously known for its myriad of pubs and nightclubs. By 8pm, the popular nightlife destination came to a standstill as swarms of eager citizens to enter the party dominion. Dozens of policemen were stationed along the barricades, ushering people forward and controlling the manifesting crowd.
When we finally arrived at Lan Kwai, we were met with a welcoming procession of blinding flashes as the press snapped away photographing each passing sensation. To a newcomer, the LKF scene would come across as slightly intimidating, but once you stumble into a place that suits you, that’s when the fun starts to sink in.
Bars line the sides of the streets, each one bustling with their own private parties. Bartenders raced to serve up the never-ending orders for alcohol. The rowdy atmosphere didn’t keep parents from bringing their 5 year old children along, though I’m curious as to what they would be able to do amidst the chaotic atmosphere. The legal drinking and clubbing age in Hong Kong is 18, but during the Halloween festivities, this rule was temporarily shunned to the side. (All teenagers rejoice).
The latest Batman movie must have struck a chord with its HK audience as thousands of Jokers roamed the lanes, their grinning faces layered with cakey makeup. Heath would have been proud. Some of my favorites of the night included Robocop and a zombie couple in wedding attire. A well-known movie line regarding Halloween from the teen movie “Mean Girls” springs to mind when surveying the various skimpy midriff-baring outfits on display, and I’m not just referring to the women. Grown men showed off their ‘feminine side’ by donning sports bras and wigs. It IS that one time in the year where noone can say anything about it.
Despite the overcrowding, Halloween in LKF is an exhilarating experience. So if you’ve been spending October 31st passing out candy to children all night, I would definitely recommend joining the party. Don’t miss out, It only comes around that one special day in the year.
