Hong Kong’s largest annual LGBTQ carnival cancelled after host venue backs out

HONG KONG, 31 July 2025 — Organisers have cancelled this year’s Pink Dot HK Pride festival after the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority abruptly withdrew the event’s venue with no explanation, leaving the city’s LGBTQ+ community without its most prominent public celebration.

The free, family-friendly event had been scheduled for 12 October at the Art Park, a popular outdoor venue overlooking Victoria Harbour.

Pink Dot HK, now in its 11th year, is widely seen as a symbol of visibility and support for the LGBTQ+ community in Hong Kong. Organisers said they had been in discussions with the authority since early 2025 and had submitted detailed plans, including community programming and logistics. However, they were informed in July that the venue would no longer be available. No reason was provided.

In a statement, the organisers said they had explored other venues but were ultimately forced to cancel due to time constraints, the lack of comparable open-air spaces, and the absence of support from the authority. They expressed deep disappointment and apologised to attendees, performers, vendors, and volunteers who had already been preparing for the event.

The West Kowloon Cultural District Authority declined to comment on specific applications, but said in a general response that all venue bookings are assessed according to established policies and procedures. The authority did not elaborate further.

The cancellation underscores growing concerns over shrinking public space for LGBTQ+ expression in the city. Since the introduction of the national security law in 2020, public assemblies – particularly those seen as politically sensitive – have become more difficult to organise. Hong Kong’s last full-scale LGBTQ Pride Parade took place in 2018. Since then, most events have shifted indoors or been dramatically scaled back.

Some activists view the Pink Dot cancellation as part of a wider pattern of administrative barriers being used to quietly restrict civic expression. Others worry it could signal a broader trend of marginalisation at a time when the government is preparing to roll out a legal partnership registration scheme for same-sex couples from overseas.

That policy, currently under consultation, would grant limited rights but stop short of recognising same-sex marriage or granting equal treatment under existing family laws. LGBTQ advocates argue that symbolic visibility at public events like Pink Dot is especially important in such a legal and cultural climate.

Despite the setback, Pink Dot HK organisers pledged to continue their mission of promoting inclusion and visibility for sexual and gender minorities in Hong Kong, saying they remain committed to returning in future years.