A vibrant four-day street fair is transforming creative and eco-friendly stalls into a source of support for families in rebuilding their homes after the devastating building blaze in the Tai Po area of China's Hong Kong.
The blaze, the deadliest Hong Kong had witnessed for decades, broke out at around 14:50 on Nov 26 at the eight-towered residential estate Wang Fuk Court, which was under renovation. The fire quickly engulfed seven of the towers, leaving at least 159 dead, 79 injured and thousands of families homeless.
Many festive events in Hong Kong were canceled during the holiday season after the devastating fire, but a handful, including this street fair, are going ahead — not for celebration, but for support.
The fair is backed by a major property developer, which has donated 10 million HK dollars to help families rebuild their lives.
"We have been hosting this event for 13 years. For an event hosted for four days, we managed to attract over 50,000 people on a yearly basis. So this year we have dedicated the fair to supporting those has been affected by the recent Tai Po tragedy. All the funds, all the proceeds that is raised would be matched by the company to be donated to the relief effort," said May Lam-Kobayashi, deputy director of Public Affairs at Swire Properties.
At the heart of the fair are Hong Kong's young entrepreneurs. Many of them got their start from the Well Being Start-Up program: seven months of rent-free space, supported by the Housing Authority and real-estate partners. Now, they are using their platforms to give back. "Free rent for half a year has really eased the pressure. We’re grateful for the free space to set up a stall here. It’s given us exposure and really helped raise our visibility," said Lai Yee Shan, founder of the travel-themed gift shop Well Voyaged.
"I first heard about the program by chance on the radio while riding a bus. I already had an online shop, but opening a physical store was just too expensive. So this Housing Authority program has been a real boost for me. And after the fire, with many families still healing, we hope our small, fun products can bring them a bit of positive energy," said Yeung Ka Yan, founder of Zoo's Series, which produces animal-themed gifts.
Holiday fair in Hong Kong raises support for families after Tai Po tragedy
