In the sun that is young once only,
Time let me play and be
Golden in the mercy of his means,

– “Fern Hill,” Dylan Thomas

Clockenflap flew in and out of Hong Kong’s West Kowloon Cultural District for a seventh time last week.  And for another late November weekend, Clockenflap proved  what an arts & music festival can be.

My friends and I purchased early bird tickets to Sunday for the lineup alone.  When you see names like DJ Jazzy Jeff and Tenacious D on the schedule, it’s hard to justify not going.  Monday’s 7:40 punch-in at work be damned.  Ultimately, the music is nice and all, but Clockenflap is something more than music.

Clockenflap is community at its most youthful.

I’ve written before about my appreciation for community in its power to inspire and share the experience of wonder and creativity.  At its core, this is what Clockenflap does for Hong Kong; it turns a piece of open industrial land into shades of expression and appreciation for the moment.  And nobody does this better than the kids.