One of Hong Kong’s biggest LGBTQ events, Pink Dot, has been cancelled for the second year running after organisers said their chosen venue pulled out in the final stages of preparation.
Pink Dot, held annually from 2014, mixes music, art and workshops to promote diversity and LGBTQ rights. Two years ago it drew nearly 7,000 people. Last year’s event was cancelled after organisers said the festival was denied a venue “without explanation”.
This time organisers say the venue manager, real estate investor Link REIT, told them that “due to licensing issues, the venue cannot be rented”, even as the carnival reached the final course of preparation.
The cancellation is another blow to Hong Kong’s LGBTQ community, coming after lawmakers overwhelmingly voted down a bill in September that would have given limited rights to same-sex couples.
“Faced with (venue) uncertainty, given the tight timeline and the involvement of numerous partner organizations… we have had to make the difficult decision to cancel” the June event, Pink Dot said. “With just one month to go until the scheduled event date, we have been diligently following procedures to apply for the necessary licences but have not yet received approval from the relevant authorities,” the organisers added.
Organisers also noted that in 2025 the West Kowloon Cultural District, a statutory body whose members are appointed by the government, denied Pink Dot a venue “without explanation”.
