Bars and Restaurants in Central to Raise the Red Ribbon
for World AIDS Day.

November 1, 2001 - Over 30 bars, restaurants and dance clubs in and around the SoHo and Lan Kwai Fong areas of Central are participating in Raise the Red Ribbon - a gigantic fundraising event for AIDS Concern, to be held on World AIDS Day, Saturday December 1, 2001.

As part of the event, a huge party for up to 600 people with live entertainment shows by The House of Siren, and a costume contest on the theme "dress to possess" will be staged at Queens nightclub in Central from 9pm onwards. So far, prizes for the best costumes have been donated by Gucci, Baume & Mercier and GOD.

Two further "satellite" parties will also be held at Blush (from 8pm) and Hardy's II, which will pulsate to the sounds of DJ Johnson and be decked out with décor by Salon de Pidgeon (from 11.30pm).

Entrance to the main event at Queens will be $250, with entry to either of the other parties being $175 (Blush) or $180 (Hardy's II). Alternatively, diehard partygoers can purchase a special Red Ribbon Pass for $350, which gives them access to all three parties.

At the same time another 25 bars and restaurants in the area will also be donating 10% of their gross takings for the night to AIDS Concern. The participating venues are One Fifth, Two Sardines, Al's Diner, Amida, Boca, Café Siam, Caramba, Club 97, Cubana, Daluca, El Pomposo, Indigo, La Dolce Vita, Le Jardin Club, Petticoat Lane, Phi-b Bar, Post 97, Propaganda, Red Rock Bar and Grill, Rio Churrasco, Stormy Weather, The Annexx, The Bagel Factory, The Pavilion and Zip. The Hairdressers will also be donating 10% of their hairstyling takings.

Additional events to be held for the charity include an arts fundraiser at the Meli-Melo Living Arts Café from 3-9pm (details from www.melimelohk.net), and an all-you-can eat "Recovery Brunch" including champagne from noon onwards at Gaia Italian Restaurant on Sunday 2nd December (advance tickets $300 from Gaia on tel: 2167 8200).

"This year's event looks set to be our biggest World AIDS Day fundraiser ever, and we are delighted that so many venues have come together to offer their support" said Graham Smith, Chief Executive of AIDS Concern.

"We expect as many as 1000 partygoers to attend the three main parties, and thousands more to drink or dine at the other supporting bars and restaurants who are donating part of their proceeds that evening."

Tickets for all the events will be available from Monday 12 November and can be purchased from Post 97, phi-b and Zip. Due to anticipated high demand, early purchase of tickets is recommended.

For full details of the events and details about World AIDS Day visit the website on www.aidsconcern.org.hk

About AIDS Concern

AIDS Concern was founded in 1990 by a group of volunteers and was the first non-governmental AIDS agency in Hong Kong. The group delivers AIDS prevention programmes and support services for people living with AIDS. These support services are based on the GIPA (Greater Involvement of People Living with AIDS) principle: the group believes that the active participation of the people served results in more appropriate services that meet real needs. AIDS Concern's three outreach prevention programmes target men who have sex with men (MSM), cross-border travellers, and workers and customers in the local sex industry. The AIDS prevention programme for MSM has received international recognition from the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS.)

Issued on behalf of AIDS Concern by Grebstad Hicks Communications. For further details contact:

AIDS Concern Grebstad Hicks Communications
Graham Smith Paul Hicks
Tel: 2898 4411 Tel: 2810 0532
Email: graham@aidsconcern.org.hk Email: paulh@ghc.com.hk