Cathay Pacific / HSBC Hong Kong Sevens Festival at Lee Gardens

In 2017, the Hong Kong Rugby Union (HKRU) reached a tipping point as for the first time, attendance at outside stadium events celebrating the world-famous Cathay Pacific/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens exceeded the 120,000 cumulative spectators inside the stadium over the event weekend.

This year the HKRU, with the support of Hysan Development and co-title sponsors HSBC and Cathay Pacific, is keeping the ball rolling by bringing the fun and excitement of the world’s best rugby party to the streets of Hong Kong with a three-week-long Hong Kong Sevens Festival at Lee Gardens in Causeway Bay.

Causeway Bay will once again be transformed into rugby central with the festival held just a drop kick away from the Hong Kong Stadium in the heart of Hong Kong’s premier shopping and entertainment district.

The Cathay Pacific/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens Festival will celebrate sevens fever for three weeks (24 March – 8 April) culminating in the 43rd staging of the Sevens (6-8 April at the Hong Kong Stadium) with a full slate of fan-friendly activities for both rugby diehards and those new to the game.

Cathay Pacific/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens FanWalk (6-8 April) – an amazing range of entertainers, street artists, music and performers will entertain fans and shoppers, all around Lee Gardens, indoors and on the street, through this year’s Sevens weekend, along with food and drink options.

Easter Rugby (30 March – 2 April, 10am-2pm) - Youngsters will get the chance to experience rugby and build some basic skills at junior rugby coaching clinics run by coaches and players from Hong Kong and some special international guests, from the visiting teams. It all takes place on the fourth floor of Hysan Place.

EGGsentially Art! Rugby Edition (30 March – 2 April) – an Easter weekend celebration including international cultural performances, international team visits, and a locally focused egglette and milk tea festival, all in front of Lee Gardens One.

E-Sports (3-8 April) – on the 4th floor of Hysan Place, an all-action gaming arena will be home to an E Sports competition featuring fan favourite games including NBA 2K18 and FIFA 18, as well as a new Flight Simulator game from partners DJI. Determined players will compete in a tournament, with heats on 3-6 April proceeding into knockout stages over the weekend of 7-8 April and culminating in a grand final on 8 April.

Wolfpack Ninja Championship (6-8 April) – assault course challenge modelled on the popular American television series and created by two former successful American ninjas, the Wolfpack Ninja Championship puts young people (ages 6 to 16) through their paces in the hunt for Hong Kong’s top young ninjas! In collaboration with Wolfpack, the action takes place in front of Lee Gardens One, with heats 6-7 April and finals on Sunday, 8 April. Registration is on the day, on a first-come, first-served basis.

StreetMAZE Hunt (24 March – 8 April) – street art pop-ups around Lee Gardens celebrating Hong Kong culture. Download the HK Sevens app and play the StreetMAZE hunt for a chance to win prizes.

Catch all of the rugby on live screens and mingle with the Hong Kong Rugby Union’s team of rugby legend ambassadors during the event weekend at the Sevens Clubhouse (6-8 April), in Seasons restaurant at Lee Garden Two. Enjoy great deals on drinks with four Carlsberg beers or two glasses of Sacred Hill wine for just HK$100.

The team of corporate sponsors behind the Sevens, including Cathay Pacific, HSBC, Cigna, Kukri, Marriott and Carlsberg, will also be running a variety of fan-friendly engagements for all ages.

On 24 March, public and media will get a taste of the festival at the official event launch, which will include the announcement of the Hong Kong Men’s and Women’s national sevens squads participating in the Hong Kong men’s and women’s sevens tournaments; and a sneak preview of all the exciting activities at the Festival over the 16 days. The afternoon will also see rugby players, celebrity ninjas and local lion dance professionals mingling and showcasing their athletic prowess.

Tiffany Lam, Director of Marketing & Customer Experience at Hysan Development, said that Lee Gardens is ready to welcome everyone: “The Sevens Festival is where we all get to be a part of Hong Kong's greatest annual party. We are confident that we have lined up activities to keep the whole family entertained and excited for three weekends, and we look forward to hosting as many people as possible.”

Sam Pinder, General Manager of the Hong Kong Sevens for the HKRU, said, “We are very excited that our long-term goal to share the Sevens with the whole community continues to be met with a warm public response. After the success of our FanWalk engagement last year, this year’s Festival will add even more colour and fun to this vibrant weekend, while bringing the world’s best rugby party to one of Hong Kong’s highest-traffic shopping and entertainment destinations in Causeway Bay visited by millions of locals and tourists each year.”

Other planned entertainment at the festival, including a full schedule of music and major fan-focused initiatives will be announced shortly, along with the latest news on in-stadium entertainment, including the much anticipated announcement of the international bands entertaining the crowd in-stadium.

Rugby pictures: Pictures from 2019 Cathay Pacific / HSBC Hong Kong Sevens, Pictures from 2018 Cathay Pacific / HSBC Hong Kong Sevens, Pictures from 2017 Cathay Pacific / HSBC Hong Kong Sevens, Pictures from 2016 Cathay Pacific / HSBC Hong Kong Sevens, Pictures of Cathay Pacific / HSBC Hong Kong Sevens 2015, Pictures of the Asia Rugby Sevens Olympic Games Qualifier in Hong Kong, Pictures of Singha Thailand Sevens 2015, Pictures from the 2013 British & Irish Lions Tour in Hong Kong, Pictures of Hong Kong Sevens 2014, Pictures of Hong Kong Sevens 2013, Pictures of Chartis Cup 2012 and Pictures of Cathay Pacific / HSBC Hong Kong Sevens 2012.

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