The Chinese New Year Night Parade is one of the most anticipated Hong Kong Chinese New Year Celebrations. Each year, it attracts tens of thousands of fans to witness and experience this dazzling Hong Kong parade. Hong Kong based Cathay Pacific Airlines has sponsored this event for twenty consecutive years.
However, due to the impact of pandemic, it has been cancelled after 2019. This is the first time after the long time suspension. After 5-year hiatus, the long-awaited Chinese New Year Night Parade finally come back again. It is expected to attract more visitors than previous years.
What to expect of 2025 Chinese New Year Night Parade
In case you are interested in other 2025 Hong Kong Chinese New Year celebrations as well as what else Hongkongners do, you can check the following article:
More to Know
Kung Hei Fat Choi – Top things to do during 2025 Chinese New Year in Hong Kong
Chinese New Year is THE most important festival in Hong Kong. The 2025 Hong Kong Chinese New Year Celebrations are much more than international carnival and Lunar New Year fair…
When is the 2025 Hong Kong International Chinese New Year Night Parade?
The Cathay Pacific International Chinese New Year Night Parade is always on the first day of the lunar year. In 2025, it will be from 8:00pm – 9:45pm on January 29th, 2025. Usually, starting from 6:00pm, there will be several performers and games to warm-up the crowds along the parade route.
In the past years, there were spectator stands at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre Piazza (open at 7:00pm). Tickets were required. For the moment there is no information about whether there will also be spectator stands this year and where and when to buy ticket. Stay tuned.
What to Expect of Hong Kong International Chinese New Year Night Parade? – Highlights
The Hong Kong Chinese New Year Night Parade usually consists of three parts: pre-parade party, parade of illuminated floats and street performances. At the same time, street hosts will play some interactive games and give out free souvenirs to the audiences along the road.
Although this year’s CNY Night Parade is cancelled, let’s take a look of how the night parade in the previous years.
9 Illuminated Floats for 2025 CNY
Every year’s parade will have a special theme. This year the theme is “Unfold a year of good fortune”. 9 illuminated and colorful floats will wind its way through the streets of Tsim Sha Tsui (Kowloon) and along the Victoria Harbour front.
The 2 popular local theme parks (Ocean Park and Disneyland), government departments and Jockey Club are the annual participants in the past years. Besides, every year there will be a cartoon characters or brands joining the party. In 2024 it was Mr. Little and Miss Little.
For 2025, the 9 floats are from Cathay Pacific Airway, Asia Tourism Exchange Center, Hong Kong Disneyland, Ocean Park Hong Kong, Hong Kong Jockey Club, Hong Kong Tourism Board, Macau Government Tourism Board, Quality Tourism Service Association and Line Friends.
The 9 Illuminating Floats in 2025 are:
Floats in 2025 International Chinese New Year Night Parade:
- Cathay Pacific Airways Limited
Theme: There’s No Place Like Home At Chinese New Year - Asia Tourism Exchange Center
Theme: Happy Chinese New Year! Happy Year of the Snake! - Hong Kong Disneyland
Theme: Blossoming Year of the Snake Celebration - The Hong Kong Jockey Club
Theme: In Motion. With You. - Hong Kong Tourism Board
Theme: Celebrate Chinese New Year with Endless Joy - Macao Government Tourism Office
Theme: Experience Macao - Ocean Park Hong Kong / Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau
Theme: Pandastic Hong Kong. Pandastic Float - Quality Tourism Services Association
Theme: Celebrating a Bountiful Harvest: The Year of Snake and a New Chapter of Hospitality of Quality Services - Line Friends
Theme: Shining Celebration for the Year of Snake
Floats for 2025 CNY:
Cathay Pacific, Asia Tourism Exchange Center, Disneyland and Jockey Club
Floats for 2025 CNY:
Ocean Park, HKTB, Macao and Quality Tourism Services Association
Floats from Line Friends
Auspicious Chinese New Year float in previous year
(watch on Haiphong Road)
Float of Hong Kong Tourism Board in previous year
(watch on Haiphong Road)
Hong Kong Disneyland’s float in previous year
(watch on Haiphong Road)
Ocean Park Hong Kong’s float in previous year
(watch on Haiphong Road)
Float team of Ocean Park Hong Kong in previous year
(watch on Haiphong Road)
Float of Hong Kong Jockey Club in previous year
(watch on Haiphong Road)
Lego float in 2017 Chinese New Year
(watch at Hong Kong Cultural Center Piazza)
Float of Lion Dance in 2017 Chinese New Year
(watch at Hong Kong Cultural Center Piazza)
Street Live Performances
Aside from the beautiful decorated floats, every year there will a whole bunch of international performers bringing all kinds of entertainment. There will be marching bands, local dragon and lion dance teams, cheerleading groups, cultural dance performances and costumed cartoon characters and “cosplayers” giving out souvenirs.
This year, there will be 16 international performing groups and 12 local performing groups in the Night Parade.
The 16 International Performing Groups (2025) are:
- Shaanxi Performing Art Troupe, Mainland China
- Gansu Dance Troupe, Mainland China
- Kep1er, South Korea
- LYKN, Thailand
- 20′ Street Ballet, France
- ART STAGE DAOL, South Korea
- BRAVERY DANCERS, India
- CANLAON CITY PASAYAW DANCE, South Korea
- Comparsa Shambala, Spain
- MALEVO, Argentina
- Samba Passion, New Zealand
- The Fantastic Trip, Germany
- UniCircle Flow, Japan
- V.UNBEATABLE DANCE GROUP, India
- Yosakoi Soran Team ‘Hiragishi Tenjin’, Japan
- Zurcaroh, Austria
The 12 Local Performing Groups (2025) are:
- Chestroll Dance Crew
- Crewplayers x Coolkids
- Hong Kong Cheung Keung Martial Arts Association and Hong Kong Federation of Huichow Associations
- Hong Kong Rope Skipping Association
- Infinity Dance Studio
- Jean M. Wong School of Ballet
- Melodies Dance Studio
- New Baby Junior Dance Crew
- RG Pro Rhythmic Gymnastic (HK) Institute Ltd
- Sing Fai- Legos Cheerleading Team
- SDM Jazz & Ballet Academie
- Training Ground HK
International groups for 2025 Chinese New Year Night Parade
International groups for 2025 Chinese New Year Night Parade
Lion dance performers
(watch on Haiphong Road, previous year)
Japanese performers
(watch on Haiphong Road, previous year)
Ballerina performers
(watch on Haiphong Road, previous year)
Marching band performers
(watch on Haiphong Road, previous year)
Illuminating dancers
(watch on Haiphong Road, previous year)
Illuminating dancers
(watch on Haiphong Road, previous year)
Local marching band
(watch on Haiphong Road)
In 2017 Sanrio characters also joined the parade
(watch on Nathan Road, previous year)
Performers from Kumamonto with cute Kumamon bear
in 2017 Chinese New Year
(watch in front of Hong Kong Cultural Centre Piazza)
Pre-parade Party to warm up Chinese New Year Night Prade
The pre-parade party is usually from 6:00pm to 8:00pm to entertain those who arrive earlier. In 2025 there will be 18 single performers (such as magician) or performer groups to warm up the party. Many of them, such as Chinese Martial Arts Dragon and Lion Dance Association of Hong Kong, Mystery Belly Dance Academy, Balletbean Dance Academy and SweeTone, have joined the CNY Night Parade in the previous years.
Be assured that this area along the planned concourse will transform into a giant party. In the past, the parade saw over 150,000 people transforming the streets of Tsim Sha Tsui in a gigantic New Year’s Party.
18 Pre-party performing groups (2025)
This year there will be altogether 18 groups joining the pre-party performance. Many of them have been in the parade in the previous years.
- Balletbean Dance Academy
- BLS Dance Production
- Carmanie Dance Association
- Chinese Martial Arts Dragron and Lion Dance Association of Hong Kong
- Cosplay Team BaLance
- Dance Art Plus
- Free Jam Music
- Hani Lake Music and Dance Academy
- Hong Kong Elite Music Academy – Jamie’s Violin Classroom
- Hong Kong Freestyle Football Team x Ropssy @ Double Dutch
- Hong Kong Rope Skipping Club
- Hong Kong Special Region Drum Corps & Marching Band Association – Equator Dragon Drum & Bugle Corps
- Hong Kong Vigor Marching Band
- Magic Carson and Friends
- Malayalam Academy Hong Kong
- Mystery Belly Dance Academy
- Red Nose Clown
- SweeTone
Route of International Chinese New Year Night Parade – Where to watch
As usual, Cathay Pacific International Chinese New Year Night Parade will start right in front of the Hong Kong Cultural Centre Piazza (Tsim Sha Tsui). Then the parade proceeds to move along Canton Road, Haiphong Road and turn back along Nathan Road to end in front of the Sheraton Hotel Hong Kong in the Salisbury Road.
The first float arrives in Canton Road around 8:30pm and take around 2 hours until it will arrive at the end point (around 10:30pm).
Secure the best location for watching the parade if you plan to enjoy the parade and feel the vibe on site.
Route of 2025 International Chinese New Year Night Parade
Where are the best location to watch Chinese New Year Night Parade?
Watch at Hong Kong Cultural Center Piazza – Subject to tickets
If you don’t want to fight with thousands of crowds or wait hours in advance for a good spot, then buying a ticket to watch at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre Piazza is a good option.
Seats are set in the spectator stands at Hong Kong Cultural Center Piazza. Tickets are available on a first come first basis. It can be purchased at the Hong Kong Tourism Board Visitor Center at the Star Ferry Concourse in Tsim Sha Tsui (start from Jan 27, open daily from 8:00am – 8:00pm). Ticket prices at the main stage are from HKD 450 – HKD 480. Each person can only reserve four ticket per transaction.
Float performing in front of main stage at Hong Kong Cultural Center Piazza
Watch along the roads of Canton Road, Haiphong Road, Nathan Road – Free of charge
Viewing along the parade route is free of charge. If you would like to have a front row spot, it’s better to get there 1-2 hours in advance. Watching along the road will have opportunities to interact with the performers and even tough the lions and dragons for good luck.
Float exhibition after the Chinese New Year Night Parade
After the parade, all the floats will be displayed at the Lam Tsuen Wishing Square of Tai Po from the 30th of January till 13th of Feburary, 2025. For everyone who might have missed the parade and would like to get a closer look at the beautiful floats to take some pictures, there are several opportunities.
Some of the street performers will also celebrate and perform at Lam Tsuen on the 30th and 31st of January, 2025.
Did You Know
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In case you would like to enjoy the parade, make sure to arrive way ahead (!) of the scheduled parade time. There are several special traffic arrangements due to the special events and usually, roads will be closed at least 2 hours before and after (!) the event. Make sure to calculate enough time to arrive early at the venue and prepare that it will get very crowded.
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For all of you who won’t make it in time to get along the parade route, the parade will also be televised on TVB Jade Channel from 8:00pm – 9:45pm.
General Info and Details
Date: January 29, 2025
Time: 8:00pm – 9:45pm
Location: Canton Road, Haipong Road and Nathan Road of Tsim Sha Tsui
Ticket Fare: Free Admission along the parade route
How to Get to Tsim Sha Tsui?
By Subway: Take the MTR to Tsim Sha Tsui station or East Tsim Sha Tsui station.
By Star Ferry: Take Star Ferry to TST Star Ferry Pier.
Other Major 2025 Hong Kong Chinese New Year Celebrations and Events
Lunar New Year Fair
(Jan 23 - 29, 2025)
Chinese New Yeer Fireworks
(Jan 30, 2025)
Lam Tsuen Well-Wishing Festival
(Jan 29 - Feb 12, 2025)
Chinese New Year Raceday
(Jan 31, 2025)
2025 Lantern Festival and Carnivals
(Feb 7 - 12, 2025)
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