Hong Kong LGBTQ carnival Pink Dot scrapped for second year after venue pulls out

“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. People at LGBTQ event Pink Dot HK at the West Kowloon Cultural District, on December 10, 2023. Photo: Kyle Lam/HKFP. 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 Pink Dot carnival on September 22, 2024. Photo: Pink Dot HK, via Facebook. 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. Pink Dot held a livestreamed concert in place of the carnival 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. The Rainbow Market, held by the Hong Kong Pride Committee, at The Wave in Kwun Tong on November 23, 2025. Photo: Kyle Lam/HKFP. 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.

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