HONG KONG: Gearing up for the coming festive seasons, local fun lovers are set to gather at the first-ever Hong Kong Wine and Dine Festival, a three-day celebration of wine, music and the city's vibrant personality.

The festival kicks off with a Gala Night at the West Kowloon Waterfront Promenade tonight where visitors can sample great wines and food, and listen to superb live music, as a part of the Hong Kong Food and Wine Year spotlight events,.

The theme of tonight's music performance will be "Jazz Under the Hong Kong Sky". For Saturday and Sunday, the performances will revolve around "This is Halloween and Jazz Up Tonight".

The entertainment also includes the Bottlemania exhibition and workshop by local Eileen Chan, who will share her joy in painted bottle art. The collectors of the Car Club of Hong Kong will also display some of their precious classic cars.

The other spotlight events will extend to other districts until November 8. They include food districts' promotions, exclusive hotel offers, wine tours and classes such as the Wine Cellar Tour and Wine Tasting Class with Tapas at Alcove Wine Studio.

A bar-hopping excursion will be followed by the Lan Kwai Fong Carnival 2009 from November 6 to 8. There will be over 80 booths selling food and wine, an assortment of handicrafts on sale, parade performances with a Latin American beat.

A celebration of world cuisines will also dazzle the public at the SoHo Wine and Dine Carnival in Sheung Wan from November 6 to 8, where the Grand Canal Shoppes from The Venetian Macao-Resort-Hotel will perform.

Dressed in authentic Venetian costumes, the ensemble of classically trained vocalists, musicians, visual artists and living statues will turn the venue into a Village On The Hill and dazzle the audience.

As for serious wine lovers and traders, the Hong Kong International Wine and Spirits Fair 2009 will suit their tastes. The fair is for trade only from November 4 to 5, and open to the public on November 6.

Organized by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, the fair is held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. The festival attracted over 10,000 consumers last year and it is looking to generate more buzz this year.

(HK Edition 10/30/2009 page1)