Higher stall prices for Hong Kong’s Lunar New Year fair put pressure on vendors

Vendors at Hong Kong’s largest Lunar New Year fair are bracing for a tougher season with successful bidders paying much higher prices for stalls at next year’s event.

The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department on Thursday held its auction for 78 dry goods stalls at the fair in Victoria Park, which is scheduled for February 11 to 17 next year.

It was the third and final day for the bidding of stalls in Victoria Park, which includes four food stalls, 180 wet goods stalls, 170 regular dry goods stalls and 46 large dry goods stalls.

“It is more competitive than last year with more bidders and higher prices,” said Kim Chan, a 28-year-old who successfully secured a spot for HK$17,100 (US$2,187).

Last year, she spent slightly above HK$10,000 to get a stall in a similar location.

Chan said sales at the last event were “miserable” so she planned to add a section featuring toys and balloons for next year’s fair to attract more children and teenagers, in addition to her regular products, which include candied hawthorn.