HONG KONG, May 19 — One of Hong Kong’s largest LGBTQ events, Pink Dot, has been cancelled for the second consecutive year after organisers said their chosen venue had pulled out in the final stages of preparation.

Pink Dot Hong Kong had been held annually from 2014, featuring a mixture of music performances, art and workshops promoting diversity and LGBTQ rights.

It drew nearly 7,000 participants two years ago but last year’s event was cancelled because the festival was denied a venue “without explanation”, according to organisers.

Pink Dot said their venue manager, real estate investor Link REIT, had told them this year that “due to licensing issues, the venue cannot be rented”, even as the carnival was making its final preparations.

It comes as another setback to the city’s LGBTQ community after Hong Kong’s legislature overwhelmingly voted down a bill in September that would have granted limited rights to same-sex couples.

People attend the Pink Dot rally in Singapore, June 29, 2024. — Reuters pic

“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 said.

Link REIT said when asked for comment that it had been liaising with the organisers “to support the event’s preparation”.

“In line with standard requirements, the use of the venue is subject to the organiser obtaining all licences required under applicable laws,” it said in a statement.

The West Kowloon Cultural District, a statutory body whose members are appointed by the government, denied Pink Dot a venue last year “without explanation”, organisers said at the time. — AFP

Hong Kong’s Pink Dot carnival has been cancelled for the second year in a row – again due to difficulties in finding a venue to host the event.

In a statement on Monday, the organiser said it had been applying for the necessary licences but had not received approval from the “relevant authorities.”

Link REIT – the company that operates the venue where the event was planned – then told Pink Dot it could not rent out the space due to “licensing issues.”

“Faced with this uncertainty, given the tight timeline and the involvement of numerous partner organizations, after thorough considerations, we have had to make the difficult decision to cancel this year’s Pink Dot HK outdoor carnival scheduled for 14 June 2026,” the statement read.

Pink Dot previously announced in mid-April that this year’s event would take place on June 14 at Stanley Plaza and Murray House.

The event was also axed last year after organisers failed to secure its usual venue at the West Kowloon Cultural District. The organiser announced the cancellation in July, three months before the scheduled date.

The organiser said then that it had been in talks to rent Art Park, an outdoor space in the cultural district. But the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority later pulled out without giving any explanation.

In place of the carnival, Pink Dot held a livestreamed concert featuring performances and talks by activists, as well as a fashion show.

Last year’s statement on the cancellation, which had been posted on Pink Dot’s social media, has since been deleted.

Known as Hong Kong’s largest LGBTQ event, Pink Dot was first held in the city in 2014 at Tamar Park in Admiralty. The yearly carnival – which started in Singapore in 2009 – aims to promote diversity and raise awareness of the LGBTQ community.

Pink Dot is still held each year in Singapore, with the 18th edition scheduled for June 27.

Another event scrapped

Large-scale LGBTQ events have become a rarity in Hong Kong in recent years since Beijing imposed a national security law in 2020.

While LGBTQ groups have not been specifically targeted, activists say it has become harder to host big events.

In November last year, the Hong Kong Pride Committee scrapped an outdoor festival at Kwun Tong Promenade after being told the venue was not available.

Aquabeat, which operates the promenade event space, said the venue was unavailable due to government construction work. However, the Buildings Department later clarified that no such work was scheduled for that day.

The Hong Kong Pride Committee used to organise the city’s annual Pride parades. The last one was in 2018, and since then, it has switched to holding indoor bazaars.

See also: IDAHOBIT: Amid waning room for advocacy, Hong Kong LGBTQ groups cherish rare chance to raise awareness

Last year, the only outdoor, large-scale LGBTQ event that took place was in celebration of the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, and Transphobia (IDAHOBIT) in May. As part of the event, LGBTQ groups ran street booths in a busy part of Causeway Bay, organising activities and holding talks by activists.

The event was also held this past Saturday and Sunday in Causeway Bay.