Happenings & Events: Stuff To Know In October!

HLG KART RACE

The HLG Kart Race returns to DB on November 22, celebrating its 10th anniversary with roughly 100 competitors expected to take part. The action unfolds on Discovery Bay Road cycle lane where an eightfoot- high ramp, almost 16-foot long and eight-foot wide is set up. While standard karts are provided by the organiser Harvey Law Group, kids, aged seven to 12, also have the opportunity to compete in their own kit-made karts. Enrol to compete at www.hlgkartrace.com or by emailing kartrace@harveylawcorporation.com.

RUN THE DB 10K

Open to runners, walkers and families alike (bring your strollers and your pets), there’s a place for everyone at the DB10K on November 1. This year’s proceeds are going to two local rescues: Hong Kong Paws Foundation and Tails of Lantau. To join the community in celebrating fitness, friendships and philanthropy, visit www.db10k.com

MID-AUTUMN FESTIVAL CELEBRATIONS

Also known as the Chinese Moon Festival, Mid-Autumn Festival takes place on the fifteenth day of the eighth lunar month in the Chinese calendar (October 6, 2025) and coincides with the full harvest moon. Traditionally it was a time for people to give thanks for the harvest and ask for good luck in the year to come. These days, families and friends get together to eat well and enjoy some time-honoured customs.

We eat mooncakes during Mid-Autumn Festival because their round shape resembles the full harvest moon. A full moon represents family reunion and harmony, so by coming together to share mooncakes families ensure equal blessings for everyone at the table. Mooncakes are also exchanged as gifts among friends and business partners to convey best wishes for prosperity, health and happiness. While lotus seed paste and red bean paste are classic fillings, Cantonese-style mooncakes typically also contain a salted egg yolk. Creative modern fillings include matcha, custard, coffee and even ice-cream.

During Mid-Autumn Festival, we also light lanterns and join lantern parades in honour of the full moon. Chang’e (the goddess of the moon) is said to bless her worshippers with beauty, and the bright lanterns help her to see us clearly from the sky. It has become traditional for DB residents to gather on Tai Pak Wan and celebrate the festival as a community but there are lantern parades all over Hong Kong – the biggest is in Victoria Park, Causeway Bay.

DB BREW BEER RUN

Looking to combine the thrill of running with the joy of craft beer? DB Brew Beer Run, hosted by DB-based craft brewer Maverick Wang, allows you to do just that. Participants meet on the last Thursday of every month at around 6.30pm and do a 500m lap of Tai Pak Beach – finishing up with a cold, convivial DB Brew. To find out more, visit www.dbbrewbeer.com.

BAKE SALE FOR VKB

Dog lover and longtime Lantau Boat Club participant Sabine Fischer is co-hosting a for-charity bake sale on October 18 outside Spicy Tiger (Shop 104A) in DB South Plaza. Take your pick of fantastic, homemade baked goods from 10am to 2pm with all proceeds going to Mui-Wo based dog rescue Villa Kunterbunt. For more on VKB, visit www.vkblantau.com.

TEAM FEAR JUNIOR CHALLENGE

Started in 2001, the Team Fear Junior Challenge is a standout on DB’s action-packed racing calendar. This year’s race is scheduled for November 30 with 600 adventurers expected to take part. Youngsters, aged eight to 17, are challenged to run, coasteer, kayak and rock-scramble around DB, while raising money for Youth Outreach. To enrol on a first-come-first-served basis, visit www.team-fear.com. For more on the race, turn to page 20. [PHOTO BY Col Sim.]

SCREAM SKATE ICE PARTY

Kids aged 3 and up are invited to Scream Skate, a spooktacular Halloween ice party at DB Ice Rink on October 26. There are two thrilling sessions: 1.30pm to 4pm and 4.30pm to 7pm with Halloween gifts on offer, plus trick-or-treat games. While tickets are priced at HK$95 per person, kids dressed in their Halloween best enjoy a special walk-in rate of HK$75. You can pre-book tickets through Klook, or grab walk-in tickets at the rink starting from 12pm on event day. To find out more, call 2234 0187 or visit dbicerink.com.

DB SWIMMING GALA

Harry Wright International is hosting a swimming gala at Discovery Bay Recreation Club on October 12, from 2pm to 5.30pm, for kids aged 4 and up. Expect 25M / 50M backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly and freestyle races, plus a parent-child relay, a siblings relay and a boys and girls relay. To find out more and enrol by October 6, call 2987 7381 or email dbrc-lessons@dbrc.hk.

SPOOKY CHILLS @ DISCOVERY BAY

DB is the place to be in the lead-up to Halloween with both plazas spookily decked out from October 11: eerie lighting installations, ghost and pumpkin decorations, a giant spider web and haunted house create magical backdrops for photo ops.

The festive fun really kicks into gear on October 26 at the annual Discovery Bay Halloween Night Market in DB South Plaza. From 2pm to 9pm, you can shop 50+ stalls selling handmade items of all kinds, plus Halloween-themed accessories. Watch out too for a roving magician, Halloween workshops, face-painting and a giant inflatable maze. Also on October 26 at DB South Plaza, DB dogs are invited to take part in a Hallo-Woof Runway Pet Costume Contest. To register, simply submit a photo of your dog in Halloween costume at www.visitdiscoverybay.com. The finalists take to the stage from 3pm to 5pm, and there are special prizes for the dogs who place first, second the third.

Lastly, be sure to head to the No Tricks just Treats booth at both plazas on October 26, from 1pm to 8pm, and on the big day itself, October 31, from 6pm to 10pm. To receive a treat, simply show a screenshot of having liked or followed @VisitDiscoveryBay. Be sure to dress up in Halloween costume to celebrate the scariest time of the year.

Happy 35th! DB Dragon Boat Gala!

See you at Tai Pak Beach on October 26

Discovery Bay Services Management Ltd (DBSML), aka City Management (CM), continues to create a buzz, delivering fun and meaningful events that bring the community together. The annual DB Dragon Boat Gala, now in its 35th year, is one such event.

“CM initiatives aim to engage and connect DB residents while promoting enjoyment,” states Ernest Lee, Assistant General Manager of DBSML. “We are excited to invite you to the annual DB Dragon Boat Gala, one of the signature CM-led community events in Discovery Bay, being held on October 26, a Sunday, at Tai Pak Beach.

The 35th edition of DB Dragon Boat Gala is a significant milestone and CM is delighted by the way the event continues to bring DB residents of diverse cultures, age groups and interests together.

RACE-DAY FUN

Attendees can expect fiercely contested mixed, open, ladies, A45 and community races with approximately 40 teams participating from across Lantau and beyond. The event kicks off at Tai Pak Beach at 9am, and concludes with an open-to-all ceremony and award presentation at 4pm.

WAVES OF JOY

The special anniversary slogan for this year’s DB Dragon Boat Gala is ‘Waves of Joy 35th’ and to mark the occasion, CM has commissioned a celebratory mural designed to spark happiness in both spectators and competitors. Taking pride of place on Tai Pak Beach on October 26, the mural showcases precious and unforgettable moments captured over the event’s 35 years through archived photos and memorabilia.

PADDLE FOR A GOOD CAUSE

Since 2023, DB Dragon Boat Gala has combined dragon boat racing with philanthropy, and 2025 is no exception. This year, CM is partnering with Hong Kong Cancer Fund, a reputable and well-known organisation, that provides free information and professional support to anyone living with or affected by cancer in Hong Kong. Pink Power Hong Kong – Cancer Survivors Dragon Boat Team has signed up to race this year in the community category.

“The 35th DB Dragon Boat Gala sets out to celebrate community spirit and togetherness: participants and spectators can enjoy the excitement of the races and join in the festivities surrounding the ceremony and award presentation,” Ernest concludes. “We look forward to a day filled with fun, camaraderie and celebration!” To find out more, visit Facebook/ Instagram @db.community.hk.

People against Pollution!

Help tackle worldwide nurdle spills

WHAT’S A NURDLE?

Nurdles are small plastic pellets the size of a lentil. Billions of nurdles are melted down each year to make almost all plastic products, but thousands of tonnes also spill directly into the environment wherever they are handled or transported. They spill from nurdle production factories, during transport on land and at sea, from plastic manufacturing sites and even plastic recycling sites. Once in the environment nurdles are extremely difficult to clean up.

In 2012, 150 tonnes of nurdles washed ashore in Hong Kong – the spill was discovered at Sam Pak Wan by former DB resident Tracey Read. Since then, there have been 10 major spills around the world – the worst was off the coast of Sri Lanka in 2021.

WHY ARE NURDLE SPILLS A PROBLEM?

Fish, seabirds and other wildlife mistake nurdles for food. Eating them can cause ulceration, organ damage or even death. Nurdles can absorb pollutants like PCBs, pesticides and heavy metals from the water, making them even more dangerous when eaten. When small animals eat nurdles, toxins can move up the food chain, potentially reaching humans.

WHAT YOU CAN DO

Most countries have limited guidelines on how nurdles are stored and transported, so spills happen often and go unreported. International rules need to be put in place so nurdles can’t ‘slip through the cracks’ in global trade. The more information gathered, the easier it is for countries to create these laws. You can help by doing a nurdle hunt and reporting your findings.

THE GREAT GLOBAL NURDLE HUNT

You can collect and count nurdles and share the information at any time of the year, but every October, people join together in the Great Global Nurdle Hunt. This citizen science programme helps as a lot of information is gathered in a short period of time. You can use the new Nurdle Hunt App to report your findings, or you can upload to the Great Nurdle Hunt website, www.nurdlehunt.org.uk.

You can find instructions on how to do your own nurdle hunt on the Plastic Free Seas website or you can join their DB beach cleanup on October 25.

NURDLING TIPS

• Bring water in a reusable bottle, bug spray, sunscreen and gloves

• Wear a hat, running shoes and comfortable clothes

• Bring tweezers, a sieve and a bag or container for your nurdles

• Pick a spot near the high tideline on a sandy beach to find the most nurdles

• Take photos

• Share your findings with The Great Global Nurdle Hunt and on social media and tag Plastic Free Seas

Start small! Make a big impact!

Together, our choices create a cleaner,

greener future for everyone.

Find more from DB’s own environmental

charity at www.plasticfreeseas.org.