Cover “Dunhuang: In Search of Light” is inspired by Silk Road cave temples and Hermann Hesse’s “Siddhartha”. (Photo: courtesy of Hong Kong Ballet)
“Dunhuang: In Search of Light” is inspired by Silk Road cave temples and Hermann Hesse’s “Siddhartha”. (Photo: courtesy of Hong Kong Ballet)
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Your cultural calendar for October 2026 features The Weeknd’s Kai Tak Stadium takeover and Hong Kong Ballet’s Dunhuang-inspired showcase
October brings cooler breezes and holiday long weekends, and there’s plenty to look forward to when it comes to arts and culture in Hong Kong.
The city has always been a key destination in the region for performing arts and design. This month’s lineup is headlined by Hong Kong Ballet’s Dunhuang-inspired premiere, avant-garde German artist Anne Imhof’s solo debut in Asia, and a multi-sensory space exhibition across Tsim Sha Tsui.
Beyond the galleries, WestK’s inaugural picnic festival takes over the harbour front, while Canadian singer-songwriter The Weeknd lands in Kai Tak Stadium and Canto-pop veteran Andy Hui returns to the Hong Kong Coliseum. Whether you are drawn to immersive contemporary art, classical ballet, or blockbuster live music gigs, there’s something for you this October.
Read more: Things to do in Hong Kong in Autumn 2026
Concert: The Weeknd’s “After Hours Til Dawn” tour
Above The Weeknd brings his stadium world tour to Hong Kong over four nights at Kai Tak Stadium. (Photo: Sebastian Nagy)
The Weeknd brings his stadium world tour to Hong Kong over four nights at Kai Tak Stadium. (Photo: Sebastian Nagy)
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When: October 24, 25, 30 and 31
Where: Kai Tak Stadium, Hong Kong
Four-time Grammy Award-winning R&B and pop titan Abel Tesfaye, professionally known as The Weeknd, brings his world-conquering After Hours Til Dawn tour to Hong Kong for four nights at Kai Tak Stadium. Celebrated for its cinematic stadium production and visual storytelling, the residency marks one of the city’s most anticipated music events of the year.
Tracing Tesfaye’s evolution from his dark, atmospheric R&B roots to Swedish-crafted synth-pop anthems and global chart-toppers, the performance will showcase his remarkable sonic craftsmanship. Fans can expect a blockbuster setlist spanning multi-platinum hits like Blinding Lights, Starboy and Save Your Tears, alongside fan-favourite collaborations in a full stadium spectacle.
Exhibition: “Design to Bridge”
Above “Design to Bridge” explores connections across daily life, heritage and industry. (Photo: courtesy of Hong Kong Design Centre)
“Design to Bridge” explores connections across daily life, heritage and industry. (Photo: courtesy of Hong Kong Design Centre)
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When: From now until October 25 (Closed on Tuesdays)
Where: The Gallery, 1/F, DX Design Hub, Hong Kong Design Centre, 280 Tung Chau Street, Sham Shui Po
Presented by the Hong Kong Design Centre and curated by Westley Wong, creative director of branding agency Wholly Wholly, Design to Bridge explores how design links cultural heritage with innovation, industry and human emotion. Taking over the Gallery at the DX Design Hub in Sham Shui Po, the exhibition uses the metaphor of a bridge to challenge purely visual design through a series of multi-sensory, interactive installations.
The showcase features touch, sound and scent-driven works from multi-disciplinary creators across Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area. Highlights include Ink & The City, an animated reinterpretation of local street calligraphy since the 1930s, local brand Mososisi’s concrete miniatures of Hong Kong’s architectural heritage, and locally crafted aroma experiences by candle makers Hong Kong Incense Company and BeCandle.
Performance: Anne Imhof’s “House of Swans”
When: September 25, 2026 to January 3, 2027
Where: JC Contemporary & F Hall galleries, Tai Kwun, Central
Tai Kwun Contemporary presents House of Swans, the highly anticipated Asian solo debut of pioneering German artist Anne Imhof. Winner of the Golden Lion at the 2017 Venice Biennale for her provocative performance installation Faust, Imhof is celebrated internationally for creating imposing, genre-defying environments that fuse choreography, sound and installation. Occupying three floors of Tai Kwun’s JC Contemporary and F Hall, the major exhibition provides a multi-sensory experience through paintings, scenography and live performances.
Exhibition: “Fly Me to the Moon: A 380,000km Odyssey”
Above The immersive space exhibition explores the future of human life on the moon through panoramic visuals and multi-sensory displays. (Photo: courtesy of Ioio)
The immersive space exhibition explores the future of human life on the moon through panoramic visuals and multi-sensory displays. (Photo: courtesy of Ioio)
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When: October 2 to November 22
Where: 6/F, Exhibition Hall and Sculpture Park, K11 Musea, Avenue of Stars and Salisbury Garden, Tsim Sha Tsui
Centring on the moon as its core theme, Fly Me to the Moon: A 380,000km Odyssey takes visitors on a multi-sensory, panoramic voyage towards the cosmos, seeking to inspire human imagination about future life in space. The showcase demonstrates how advanced aerospace technology is transforming the moon from an ancient myth into humanity’s next frontier, stretching beyond the indoor gallery at K11 Musea into public installations across Salisbury Garden and the Avenue of Stars.
Read more: Dear You: how did a hyper-local Chinese film break through to the Venice Film Festival and North America?
Recreation: WestK Picnic Fest
Above Set against the Victoria Harbour skyline, WestK Picnic Fest invites visitors to enjoy outdoor music, F&B pop-ups and farm-to-table experiences at the Art Park. (Photo: courtesy of WKCDA)
Set against the Victoria Harbour skyline, WestK Picnic Fest invites visitors to enjoy outdoor music, F&B pop-ups and farm-to-table experiences at the Art Park. (Photo: courtesy of WKCDA)
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When: October 1, 3, 4, 10 and 11
Where: Harbourside East Lawn, Art Park, West Kowloon Cultural District
Marking the start of the breezy season and the rise of slow living, West Kowloon Cultural District presents its first-ever WestK Picnic Fest at the Harbourside East Lawn. Visitors can rent picnic essentials on-site and explore limited-time picnic set menus from 16 F&B tenants across the district, alongside food stalls serving up local street bites, handcrafted donuts and craft beer. The festival also features an exclusive farm-to-table picnic experience hosted by local farmers, a “Bike & Picnic Pass” for cyclists, and a lively programme of DJ sets and street entertainment.
Conference: AAPPAC’s “The Next Act: Shaping The Future”
When: October 6 to 9
Where: Freespace, West Kowloon Cultural District, Hong Kong
As the Association of Asia Pacific Performing Arts Centres (AAPPAC) marks its 30th anniversary with their annual conference, themed “The Next Act: Shaping The Future”. The four-day gathering brings together more than 200 leaders from major performing arts venues and cultural institutions across the Asia-Pacific region and beyond. Discussions will focus on economic resilience, technological innovation and cross-border collaboration, alongside an exclusive preview of the upcoming WestK Performing Arts Centre ahead of its 2027 grand opening.
The conference features keynote addresses by award-winning Hong Kong musical director Leon Ko, Kiwi-Australian choreographer Amrita Hepi, and US-based Chinese composer Huang Ruo. Delegates will also experience showcases by local artists, such as TS Crew’s martial arts-beatbox performance No Dragon No Lion and Théâtre de la Feuille’s physical theatre production Book of Mountains and Seas.
Concert: Andy Hui’s “On Stage” residency
Above Andy Hui returns to the Hong Kong Coliseum stage after an 11-year hiatus to celebrate his 40th anniversary in music. (Photo: courtesy of event organiser)
Andy Hui returns to the Hong Kong Coliseum stage after an 11-year hiatus to celebrate his 40th anniversary in music. (Photo: courtesy of event organiser)
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When: October 8 to 10
Where: Hong Kong Coliseum, Hung Hom
Celebrating a milestone 40-year career, Canto-pop veteran Andy Hui returns to the Hong Kong Coliseum for the first time in over a decade. Since debuting in 1986, Hui has cemented his legacy as one of Hong Kong’s signature balladeers with classics like Men’s Worst Pain, Sludge, Yesterday’s Person and You Are Irreplaceable. Riding the momentum of his long-awaited new single Albatross and a citywide revival of his back catalogue, the anticipated residency promises a nostalgic celebration of old and new hits.
Performance: Hong Kong Ballet’s “Dunhuang: In Search of Light”
Above Hong Kong Ballet fuses classical choreography with cutting-edge visuals in an epic production inspired by Dunhuang’s Silk Road cave temples. (Photo: courtesy of Hong Kong Ballet)
Hong Kong Ballet fuses classical choreography with cutting-edge visuals in an epic production inspired by Dunhuang’s Silk Road cave temples. (Photo: courtesy of Hong Kong Ballet)
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When: October 16 to 18
Where: Grand Theatre, Hong Kong Cultural Centre, Tsim Sha Tsui
Created by the team behind hit production The Butterfly Lovers, Hong Kong Ballet presents an epic new show that draws inspiration from the Dunhuang sand dunes, the historic Silk Road cave temples where cultures met and flourished, and Hermann Hesse’s iconic novel Siddhartha.
The story follows a young man’s spiritual quest for enlightenment, guided along the way by feitian, celestial flying beings symbolising grace and movement, as he navigates temptation, love and inner growth. The production fuses powerful classical choreography with living frescoes and cutting-edge visual design to celebrate compassion and personal awakening.
Exhibition: “Furnishing the Forbidden: Throne, Study and Bedchamber”
Above “Furnishing the Forbidden” showcases the private lives of the Qing court through 89 imperial treasures. (Photo: courtesy of Liang Yi Museum)
“Furnishing the Forbidden” showcases the private lives of the Qing court through 89 imperial treasures. (Photo: courtesy of Liang Yi Museum)
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When: October 2, 2026 to October 12, 2027
Where: Liang Yi Museum, 181–199 Hollywood Road, Sheung Wan (By appointment only)
Liang Yi Museum presents a landmark showcase of 89 Qing dynasty (1644–1912) imperial treasures by recreating the intimate living spaces of three distinct figures in the imperial household: the Emperor, the scholar and the consort.
Highlights include a pair of cabinets made from highly prized zitan wood that formed the dowry of Kangxi Emperor’s youngest daughter, intricate personal shrines from Emperor Qianlong’s Imperial Workshops, and exquisite cosmetic chests. The collection offers a rare glimpse into the hidden lives and influence of Qing palace women. A series of expert-led talks and handling workshops will run throughout the exhibition, exploring court beauty rituals, imperial craftsmanship and more.
Cyril Ip is the Features Editor at Tatler Hong Kong, where he shapes digital strategy, curates long-form features and drives trending cultural coverage across multi-platform digital experiences. He writes about culture, society and self-development. Having lived and worked across Hong Kong, mainland China and the UK, he brings a multifaceted background that spans media, music and publicity—including a four-year tenure as a culture and diplomacy journalist at the South China Morning Post.
