Pink Dot HK 2025 cancelled after venue denial by WKCDA

The 11th edition of Hong Kong's largest LGBTQ event, Pink Dot, has been cancelled after the venue owner, West Kowloon Cultural District Authority (WKCDA), withdrew without explanation.

In a statement on Pink Dot’s Facebook page, the organiser said that it began engaging with the West Kowloon Cultural District earlier this year regarding the venue rental of its Art Park, with plans to host the event on 12 October as scheduled. 

"However, while we were busy with planning and preparations, we were notified by West Kowloon that the venue could not be rented to us, without any explanation provided," the statement reads.

The organiser said that, due to the tight timeline and the limited options for suitable outdoor venues, securing an alternative venue on such short notice was extremely challenging. Therefore, it decided to cancel this year’s Pink Dot HK event.

The organiser has apologised to its sponsors, performers, partners, community organisations, and volunteer teams, while thanking them for their trust, support, and understanding of the situation.

On the other hand, the WKCDA told multiple media outlets such as Ming Pao and HKFP that it reviews venue hire applications in accordance with established procedures and does not comment on individual cases.

Support for the festival came from major brands such as HSBC, Prudential Hong Kong, Manulife, Marriott Bonvoy, Generali, OneDegree, and UBS, according to Pink Dot's Linkedin. It also appointed local actress Lana Wong (黃夏蕙) and singers Yan Ting and Pong Nan as ambassadors.

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Inspired by Singapore’s annual Pink Dot festival, which launched in 2009, the local iteration has become Hong Kong’s largest annual LGBTQ carnival. The 2024 and 2023 events were also held at the Art Park.

Back in 2022, the event took place at the now-closed Kowloon International Trade and Exhibition Centre, while earlier editions were hosted at the West Kowloon Cultural District and Tamar Park in Admiralty. The event was cancelled in 2019, with organisers citing “current political and social unrest and escalating violence” as the reasons.

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