Revellers soak up S2O Hong Kong Songkran Music Festival, but mood mixed

Neon-decorated revellers expressed mixed levels of excitement as the S2O Hong Kong Songkran Music Festival kicked off on Saturday, with thumping electronic beats and water cannons taking over part of the Central harbourfront.

Dubbed “the world’s wettest party”, the two-day event combines elements of Thailand’s Songkran water festival with a roster of international artists including Dutch DJ Afrojack, Swedish electronic duo Galantis and Brazil’s Alok.

Tickets range from HK$980 (US$125) for a one-day general admission pass to HK$2,880 for a two-day VIP pass.

Over the course of an hour on Saturday afternoon the Post observed a steady stream of mostly local Hongkongers, expats and some mainland Chinese visitors entering the Central Harbourfront Event Space dressed in neon-tinged clothing, with also some opting to add a touch of glitter.

“I’m really excited, this is my first music festival,” said 18-year-old Hongkonger Jessica Ling, who was entering the site with two friends.

She said she was drawn to the event due to her love for electronic music and the “international” nature of the festival.

The roving festival travels around the world, with other stops in Japan, Taiwan, Korea and the US this year.

“I really want to see more events like this in Hong Kong,” Ling said.

American Jeff Baker, who moved to Hong Kong 10 months ago, was equally eager to soak up the festival, saying felt it was an example of how vibrant the city was compared with other places he had lived.

“There’s so many things happening,” the 40-year-old teacher said. “I hear it’s quieter than it used to be, but I’m loving it. There’s always a music festival going on.”

The government launched an all-out push this year to draw more large-scale events to the city in a bid to attract tourists and boost the economy.

The festival, which lists Brand Hong Kong and the Tourism Board as supporting organisations, is among 210 designated mega events being rolled out this year as part of the official push.

Kenny Ng, a 35-year-old English teacher, said attending music festivals was one of the better things to do in the city during the summer, and he was looking forward to having some fun and making new friends over the weekend.

Ng, who has attended other major music festivals in Hong Kong including Clockenflap and Creamfields, said he only wished the event would move to a larger venue, or that the harbourfront space could be expanded.

“It still feels kind of small,” he said.

There was a light police presence outside the grounds with about a dozen officers seen patrolling the area throughout the afternoon.

More than a dozen security guards were also on site, with one saying they were on the lookout for “illegal activity” but would not specify further.

But some attendees expressed a more mixed reaction during the first hours of the event.

Hongkonger Cyrus Chan, who now lives in Canada and was in the city visiting family, said it was still too early in the day to say whether he was enjoying the festival as the crowd had been slow to arrive.

He added that the festival’s signature water effects made up for some of his disappointment, and he expected the crowd to pick up as the night went along.

“It’s not dead but it’s not the best,” the 19-year-old said.

“The water makes it more fun. If it was just a regular festival I would feel like it’s less fun.”