Crowds Flock To Food Fest As 'Happy HK' Kicks Off

A months-long government campaign hoping to cheer people up and boost local spending got under way on Saturday, with many Hongkongers flocking to a two-day gourmet food fair headlining the HK$20 million initiative.

Some started queuing for the gourmet market at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre an hour before doors opened, and more people gathered for one of the first "Happy Hong Kong" events as time went by.

But not all were happy about having to line up for quite a while. "I have lost interest, I'm ready to leave," a woman told RTHK.

As of noon, officials said free admission tickets of the large-scale event had all been snapped up.

Some people, including a woman surnamed Wong, were ready to shop at the food fair.

"I prepare to spend around HK$1,000," she said. "It is amazing, there are so many people here."

Another woman said the scale of this food fair is smaller than the Brands and Products Expo - held annually at Victoria Park.

One vendor, surnamed Lau, took part in a food fair for the first time.

"[The consumption vouchers] helped us a lot, because people are willing to spend more," he said.

At the opening ceremony, financial secretary Paul Chan said the local economy has improved. But he stressed that it is also important to be happy, which he said can make people "healthy" and "live longer."

"We are more powerful when we are happy together and united. As we work together, I am convinced that we will have better days and years ahead," he said.

Chan then walked around and stopped at different booths, while helping out with preparing egg waffles and milk tea.

Other than the weekend food fair, cinema-goers could enjoy movies at only HK$30 each on Saturday. Tens of thousands of discounted tickets were snapped up for more than 1,600 screenings.