Backlash brews for Hong Kong coffee festival over response to bad weather

Mud and rainy weather caused chaos and frustration at a high-profile open-air coffee festival in Hong Kong’s West Kowloon Cultural District over the Easter weekend, with the arts hub’s managing authority urging the organiser to take timely and appropriate measures to respond to vendors.The weather put a dampener on the four-day 2026 Coffee Hong Kong @WestK, which was held at the Great Lawn of the district’s Art Park.Some festival visitors were seen wearing shoe covers as they walked over the muddy lawn. Coffee Hong Kong, the event organiser, earlier said it had deployed water suction machines to help ease the situation.The owner of Return Coffee, who only gave her last name as Cheng, said her stall was flooded because it was located in a low-lying area, adding that the water reached her ankles.She said the business could face losses close to HK$20,000 (US$2,550), as some of her coffee beans had become damp.“Services [by the organiser] were actually very good last year. This year, the organiser was a bit unprepared … they could’ve done better,” Cheng said. “We need to inspect the beans and can only repackage them for selling if they are undamaged.”