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Tong Chong Street transforms into a mega-sized vintage chocolate shop filled with Christmas-inspired shopping, food and drink, and heart-warming attractions
Running across two weekends for the first time (30 November to 3 December and 8 to 10 December), Swire Properties' largest ever White Christmas Street Fair has returned to Taikoo Place with all-new elements, including digital F&B coupons, rentable tableware and an original theme song to once again raise funds for Operation Santa Claus.
Designed and run by ten local university students, who are part of the Swire Properties Placemaking Academy (SPPA) 2023 cohort, "CHOCOLAND!" will remind visitors of their first bite of chocolate and the pure joy it brought. Among the many performances and activities, the original theme song, digital map and mini game created by seven secondary school students from the SPPA Junior Programme* are among the many exciting highlights.
Sustainability remains a key focus for the SPPA organising team, and the Street Fair is encouraging visitors to care for the environment through several new measures including onsite rental tableware by Muuse, to reduce single-use plastic waste; digital food & beverage coupons to minimise paper waste; and a delicious chocolate stirrer souvenir featuring #INVISIBLEBAG, a water-soluble and biodegradable packaging by the Invisible Company.
Mr Chan Kwok-ki, the Chief Secretary for Administration of the HKSAR Government; Mr Tim Blackburn, Chief Executive of Swire Properties; Ms Tammy Tam, Editor-in-Chief of South China Morning Post and representative of Operation Santa Claus; Mrs Alice Cheung, Director of Home Affairs, and Mr Simon Chan, District Officer (Eastern) officiated at the White Christmas Street Fair's opening ceremony.
Mr Chan Kwok-ki, the Chief Secretary for Administration of the HKSAR Government, said, "Swire Properties' White Christmas Street Fair is a wonderful example of close co-operation between the Government, the business sector and the community, and this signature event has been fostering the betterment of Hong Kong society. Hong Kong's young people have been given opportunities to showcase their talent and creativity in the fair, the proceeds of which will support various charitable organisations and the needy through ‘Operation Santa Claus 2023'. The Government would like to thank Swire Properties for its ongoing commitment to fostering the healthy growth and holistic development of youth in Hong Kong. I wish this fair great success and all of you a Merry Christmas ahead."
Tim Blackburn, Chief Executive of Swire Properties, said, "We're very excited to offer a larger than ever Street Fair to the wider Hong Kong community this year. Our year-end celebration is a wonderful complement to the imminent completion of our ambitious Taikoo Place redevelopment project.
"The SPPA has been running for five years, and our award-winning programme has once again mentored a group of talented youths and offered them an opportunity, through their hard work, to create yet another unforgettable festive celebration. We're especially proud of our students' innovative spirit and endless creativity to make the whole event environmentally-friendly, and the F&B portion as close to a zero-waste event as possible. Hopefully their efforts will set a new benchmark for the industry and beyond. As the year draws to a close, I'd like to thank our communities for their support. I hope that everyone has a fantastic time at the Street Fair."
"CHOCOLAND!" AT A GLANCE
"CHOCOLAND!" features three must-try heart-warming attractions - "My Choco Memories~", "Choco Game Zone" and "Santa's Secret Choco Cabin"; each creating sweet and festive moments for visitors in their own way. For more festive cheer, the Street Fair is once again supporting local businesses, which have curated a host of items such as artisanal chocolates, confections, ornaments and seasonal decorations. Of course, visitors mustn't miss the variety of live entertainment, including musical and dance performances by Hong Kong and international talent.
To complete the Street Fair experience, EAST Hong Kong, enoteca, Pici, Catch and KAKI Izakaya are serving a mouth-watering collection of culinary delights inspired by chocolate, for the perfect festive nibbles.
WORKING TOWARDS A ZERO-WASTE F&B EVENT
Aligning with Swire Properties' focus on sustainable development, the SPPA has once again been collaborating with designers, suppliers and tenants to introduce innovative waste reduction measures for the Street Fair.
Event partner MUUSE is offering on-site rental and reusable tableware to reduce single-use plastic waste and promote a sustainable dining experience. Visitors can also bring their own containers to support the zero-waste goal. And for the firsttime, guests can purchase digital F&B coupons to redeem delicious food and drink, thus minimising paper waste.
In addition to the series of new initiatives, Swire Properties has also partnered with Reset Carbon - a carbon management company, and consultants from Recyclink, to help quantify carbon emissions and guide recycling practices. The goal is to foster a recycling and sustainable culture among visitors and tenants. A comprehensive assessment of the Street Fair's carbon footprint will be conducted to identify strategic carbon reduction measures and set targets for future events.
*A collaboration between the Swire Properties Placemaking Academy and the E-League Programme by the Eastern District Office.
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Swire Properties' White Christmas Street Fair 2023, designed and run by ten local university students of the SPPA 2023 cohort, has kicked off today with the theme "CHOCOLAND!".
Mr Chan Kwok-ki, the Chief Secretary for Administration of the HKSAR Government (fourth from right); Mr Tim Blackburn, Chief Executive of Swire Properties (fourth from left); Ms Tammy Tam, Editor-in-Chief of South China Morning Post and representative of Operation Santa Claus (third from right); Mrs Alice Cheung, Director of Home Affairs(third from left), and Mr Simon Chan, District Officer (Eastern) (second from right) officiated at the White Christmas Street Fair's opening ceremony, along the 17 students from the SPPA and SPPA Junior Programme.
ABOUT THE SWIRE PROPERTIES PLACEMAKING ACADEMY (SPPA)
Launched in 2019, the Swire Properties Placemaking Academy (SPPA) is part of Swire Properties' ongoing commitment to nurturing Hong Kong's youth. Each year, participants are shortlisted through an open competition for local university students, who take part in a six-month apprenticeship to ideate and execute the White Christmas Street Fair in December - the Company's annual celebration for the wider HK community.
During the six-month apprenticeship, the SPPA transfers skills and knowledge to participants in terms of Swire Properties' long-term goals in the areas of Placemaking, Innovation and Sustainable Development; as well as through ideation, mentoring and on-the-job training given by the Company's senior management and the SPPA's star lecturers.
To retain talent, Swire Properties aims to provide employment opportunities to outstanding alumni from the Academy.
Visit SPPA's website: https://placemaking.swireproperties.com/about
About Swire Properties
Swire Properties develops and manages commercial, retail, hotel, and residential properties, with a particular focus on mixed-use developments in prime locations at major mass transportation intersections. Swire Properties is listed on the Main Board of the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong and its investment portfolio in Hong Kong comprises Taikoo Place, Pacific Place, Cityplaza, Citygate Outlets. The Company's completed portfolio in Hong Kong comprises approximately 16.6 million sq ft (approximately 1.54 million sqm) of space.
In the Chinese Mainland, Swire Properties has six completed mixed-use developments in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Chengdu. They include Taikoo Li Sanlitun and INDIGO in Beijing, HKRI Taikoo Hui and Taikoo Li Qiantan in Shanghai, Taikoo Hui Guangzhou and Taikoo Li Chengdu. INDIGO II in Beijing, Taikoo Li Xi'an, two new mixed-use projects in Shanghai and a new retail-led project in Sanya are currently under development. The Company's completed portfolio in the Chinese Mainland comprises approximately 14.1 million sq ft (approximately 1.31 million sqm) of space.
In addition to Hong Kong and the Chinese Mainland, the Company has investments in the United States, Indonesia, Vietnam and Thailand.
Visit Swire Properties' website at www.swireproperties.com