Opening on Wednesday, this year’s Hong Kong Book Fair centres on the theme of “Food Culture – Future Living”.
Organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), the seven-day event – the book fair’s 35th edition – has expanded beyond literature, running alongside the Hong Kong Sports and Leisure Expo and the World of Snacks. Visitors can spend the day browsing books about food and sampling some of the more than 1,300 varieties of snacks, all under one roof and with a single ticket.
Sophia Chong Suk-fan, deputy executive director of HKTDC, points out how food and reading both carry culture, not just as records of recipes or stories, but as living narratives that evolve with us. “We hope the theme encourages people to explore food culture through reading, to savour the stories and lifestyles behind the texts, and to discover new food cultures shaped by future technologies,” she said in a statement.
Book lovers browse through what’s on offer at the booths of Hong Kong Book Fair 2024. Photo: Elson Li
The fair’s programme is packed with more than 620 events, such as the World of Art & Culture exhibition, “Book a Table – Food for Thought”. Here, the humble dining table becomes a stage for cultural dialogue. Eight artists, working with various consulates, have created thematic tables exploring everything from sustainability and healthy living to the sensory pleasures of food, music and art. An AI device is on site to recommend books tailored to visitors’ tastes.
For heritage lovers, the new Cultural and Creative Products Zone presents Hong Kong’s intangible cultural treasures alongside gems from Macau and Beijing’s Palace Museum. Meanwhile, the Mainland China Pavilion spotlights Sichuan province, weaving together its rich traditions of tea, opera, embroidery and food.
The book fair’s Eight Seminar Series brings together voices such as Lung Ying-tai, the renowned Taiwanese writer and cultural critic; Andrew Chui Shek‑on, heir to Hong Kong’s iconic Tai Ping Koon restaurant; and Rie Qudan, the 2024 Akutagawa Prize-winning Japanese author, for talks promising to deepen our understanding of food literature, future tech and how Hong Kong can contribute.
Hong Kong Book Fair, the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, 1 Expo Drive, Wan Chai, from July 16 to 22. Tickets from HK$30. Visit Hong Kong Book Fair
