Locally designed Hong Kong-themed merchandise, including curry fishball plushies, drew crowds at Victoria Park's Lunar New Year fair. One vendor reported daily sales exceeding HK$100,000 amid tens of thousands of visitors.
Victoria Park's Lunar New Year fair is Hong Kong's largest such event, where on Wednesday tens of thousands of festivalgoers lined up at booths. From first-time sellers to charities, vendors promoted their locally designed merchandise.
Curry fishball plushies, novelty minibus signs, and products inspired by Hong Kong iconography emerged as bestsellers. Among the busiest stalls was Lo Hey, which had gone viral online for its plushies based on traditional Hong Kong street food, such as curry fishballs. The stall was opened by a 45-year-old Hongkonger surnamed Choi, who previously operated a hotpot restaurant under the same name.
Staff charmed patrons by pretending to season and sauce the plushies arranged on a grill to emulate the street food experience, even placing the toys in paper bags used at food stalls for takeaway. Emily Tse, a 21-year-old student from Polytechnic University and an employee at the stall, said that business remained strong compared with earlier days of the fair, with daily sales estimated at about HK$100,000.
One vendor said he made more than HK$100,000 (US$12,790) in daily sales. These items highlight nostalgia for Hong Kong culture during the festivities.