2024 Hong Kong Mid-Autumn Festival Lantern Carnivals and Displays

The 2024 Mid-Autumn Festival is around the corner and Hong Kong will celebrate this ancient festival with various festivities. Among all the events, the lantern carnivals and lantern displays are the centerpieces and the most popular ones.

As an ancient Chinese festival, the Mid-Autumn Festival, or called Moon Festival, is the second most important Chinese traditional festival after the Lunar New Year. It is full of romance and love. Locals will gather with family, eat mooncake, play colourful lanterns, gaze the full moon and enjoy lantern carnivals. Get into the spirit and experience this ancient festival with locals.

Lantern displays on Mid-Autumn Festival in Hong Kong

When is 2024 Mid-Autumn Festival?

As a traditional festival, Mid-Autumn Day takes place on the eighth full moon of the Chinese lunar calendar. The actual date varies every year and usually falls in September or October. For 2024, the Mid-Autumn Festival is on the September 17, 2024.

Because this festival is celebrated with the moonlight and illuminated lanterns at night, thus the day after the festival (18th of September 2024) is designated as the public holiday (2024 Hong Kong Public Holidays).

Go Back to Top

History and local customs of Mid-Autumn Festival

Mid-Autumn Festival – an ancient Chinese tradition

As one of the oldest festival, the origin of the Mid-Autumn festival celebration can be traced back to the Tang Dynasty of China (around 600AD). One story believes that it is the middle day of the Autumn on which day farmers would celebrate the harvest, express their joy and show respect to the Lord of the Soil.

Besides, the full moon on this day represents the reunion. Therefore, it is a festival when the families get together, reunite, have dinner and some festival food (similar to western Thanksgiving).

Many countries like Japan, South Korean, Vietnam and Ryukyusu who were deeply influenced by Chinese culture also celebrate this festival. According to Chinese mythology, there are a fairy lady (goddess) and a rabbit living in the Palace of Moon. Thus, during this festival, you will find a lot of symbols and packages printed with a rabbit or/and a lady.

Local customs on Mid-Autumn Festival

Carrying colourful lanterns, nevertheless adults or children, is a must-do for locals on the night of Mid-Autumn Festival. You can find the goldfish, starfruit and rabbit lanterns on the back of HSBC 20-dollar banknote.

Traditional lanterns for Mid-Autumn Festival

Presenting and eating mooncakes is another local custom on this special holiday. Besides the traditional mooncake filled with lotus seed paste, sweet bean paste or the salted duck egg yolks, recent years new types of mooncakes start to be trendy, such as icy mooncake or icecream mooncake.

When and what are the 2024 Lantern Carnivals and Lantern Displays?

During the Mid-Autumn Festival, across the city, you will find various celebrations including lantern carnivals, lantern displays, traditional performances and other festivities.

Go Back to Top

2024 Hong Kong Mid-Autumn Lantern Carnivals and Displays – the largest events

This year, there will be two Mid-Autumn Lantern Carnivals in different districts:
　(1) 2024 Urban Mid-Autumn Lantern Carnival (highly recommended);
　(2) New Territories Mid-Autumn Lantern Display 2024;

The Urban Mid-Autumn Lantern Carnival is located in the downtown (Causeway Bay), which is the most convenient for tourists to join, while another in New Territories are bit far away from major areas.

Lantern carnival consists of “Lantern Display“, “Carnival Night/Gala Night” and “Youth Night“. It’s a great opportunity to sample the local traditions when it comes to Mid-Autumn Festival celebrations in Hong Kong.

For more details of the programs for these carnivals, you may check out government site for programme details.

1. Urban Mid-Autumn Lantern Carnival
in Victoria Park (Hong Kong Island)

The largest and most popular event in town

Lantern Displays + Carnival Night/Gala Night + Live Performance

The Urban Mid-Autumn Lantern Carnival in Victoria Park is always the best amongst all the others. Not only because it has the largest lantern display and carnival at the most convenient location, but also you will have chance to enjoy fire dragon dance.

To introduce this beautiful traditional to more locals and tourists, the government invites the Tai Hang Fire Dragon team to perform in the Victoria Park once a year on the Mid-Autumn Day.

Victoria Park Lantern Display
– (September 12 – 18, 2024, Thu – Wed)

Far from Victoria Park, you will already notice the brightness and glowing in the dark. Victoria Park has hundred of traditional lanterns and lights displayed every year. The design of the theme varies in different years. This year’s lantern theme has not disclosed yet. This year the theme is “Charm in the Air: Chinese Style, Hong Kong Flair”, focusing on the four major aspects of local life, “Clothing”, “Food”, ”Housing” and “Transportation”. As always, it will carry all sorts of Chinese and Hong Kong traditional elements. The highlight will be the 12-meter tall Chinese traditional Tang Suite and Cheongsam lanterns.

The displays this year will run from September 12 – 18, 2024 (Thu to Wed). It is always the event with the most visitors among all the celebrations.

Spring Equinox: The Timeless Chinese Brocades – Chinese traditional Cheongsam lanterns (2024)

Phoenix Dancing with the Full Moon lanterns (2024)

Wayfarers’ Delights under the Radiant Full Moon – rabbit lanterns (2024)

Floral Breezes in Sequestered Courtyard – peacock lanterns (2024)

Floral Breezes in Sequestered Courtyard – panda lanterns (2024)

The lantern themes are changing each year. Last year, the Victoria Park was lit up by a giant Cantonese Opera Stage, along with adorable frogs, butterflies, rabbits and fish lanterns.

Giant Cantonese Opera stage lantern settings (2023)

Giant rabbit lantern settings (2023)

Rabbit lantern settings (2023)

frog lantern settings (2023)

Here are some memory about lantern displays in the previous year..

×

For instance, in 2021 the highlight was a 6-meter-high merry-go-round.

Merry-Go-Round lantern decorations (2021)

Horse of Merry-Go-Round lantern decorations (2021)

Horse of Merry-Go-Round lantern displays (2021)

Rabbit lantern displays (2021)

Elephant lantern displays (2021)

Birds and flower lantern displays (2021)

White crane lantern displays (2021)

In 2019 the theme was “Full Moon across the Universe”. You could find all the exhibits are related to the topic of space.

Space shuttle (2018)

UFO (2018)

Aliens and space ship (2018)

In Chinese, the pronunciation of “bat” sounds similar to “good luck”. Thus, the bat lantern represents good wishes for everyone.

Lucky bat (2018)

Illuminated lanterns in Victoria Park (2017)

Illuminated bear in Victoria Park (2017)

Mandarin duck in Victoria Park (2017)

The theme in 2016 was about the local sightseeing attractions. Thus you could recognize many lanterns featured with the famous landmarks.

Three little pigs on Ngong Ping Cable Car (2016)

Victoria Peak Tower (2016)

Elephant and Alpaca in Victoria Park (2016)

Lucky orange in Victoria Park (2016)

Close

Victoria Park Fire Dragon Dance for Lantern Carnivals
– (10:30 pm – 11:30 pm, September 17, 2024)

Finally, after cancellation for many year due to the pandemic, this year’s Tai Hang Fire Dragon Dance in Victoria Park will come back. It is undoubtedly another highlight of Lantern Carnival. The original tradition is from Tai Hang (several blocks away from Victoria Park). But on the Mid-Autumn Festival, it will be also performed in Victoria Park. The team usually arrives around 10:30 pm and the ritual starts around 10:45 pm.

This year the Dragon Dance will be live-broadcast.

Mid-Autumn Fire Dragon Dance in Victoria Park

Victoria Park Carnival Night / Gala Night
– (September 17, 2024)

Usually on the night of Mid-Autumn Day, there will be the Chinese dance, singing and acrobatics performance, game stalls, markets and many more, which is called “The Mid-Autumn Carnival Night”. This year the Gala Night is only available at Urban venue.

Cantonese Opera stage on Mid-Autumn Lantern Carnival Night

Various live performance on the Gala Night in Victoria Park

Chinese dance on Mid-Autumn Carnival Night

Chinese acrobatics on Mid-Autumn Carnival Night

Riddle game on Mid-Autumn Carnival Night

Each year, the Lantern Carnival will also include some of China’s intangible heritage to visitors such as the Chinese Traditional Paper Crafting.

Traditional embroidery

Orchestra performance on Youth Night

Go Back to Top

In case Victoria Park is too crowded, you might want to take a closer look at another option. Just be aware that this venue is located in New Territories district far away from downtown. Unless you are familiar with public transportation or you are staying in one of the hotels nearby, it is not really convenient for tourists to visit.

2. New Territories Mid-Autumn Lantern Carnival
Tsing Yi Park (New Territories)

Lantern Display

The New Territories Mid-Autumn Lantern Carnival in Tsing Yi Park is a little bit far from the city center. However, if you stay W Hotel or Ritz Carlton Hotel in Kowloon station, it is only one station away by Airport Express or 4 stations away by MTR line.

The Lantern Carnival celebrations also run for a week, from September 12 to 18, 2024 (Thu to Wed). In case you are interested, here is the schedule and show lists of 2024 New Territories Mid-Autumn Lantern Carnival.

Butterflies display on Lantern Carnival in NT 2024
(Photo source: Leisure and Cultural Service Department)

Poetic and Scenic Beauty on Lantern Carnival in NT 2024
(Photo source: Leisure and Cultural Service Department)

Rabbit and lotus lanterns
(Photo source: Leisure and Cultural Service Department)

Goldfish and carp lanterns
(Photo source: Leisure and Cultural Service Department)

The last year’s highlight of lantern display was a giant Ferris wheel. It’s surrounded by lanterns of Shiba Inu, cat mermaid, bear, rabbit etc..

Ferris wheel display on Lantern Carnival in NTW 2023
(Photo source: Leisure and Cultural Service Department)

goldfish and cat mermaid display on Lantern Carnival in NTW 2023
(Photo source: Leisure and Cultural Service Department)

Traditional rabbit lantern display on Lantern Carnival in NTW 2023
(Photo source: Leisure and Cultural Service Department)

Mascots Enggie Pup and Artti Kitty lanterns in NTW 2023
(Photo source: Leisure and Cultural Service Department)

Go Back to Top

2024 Mid-Autumn Thematic Lantern Display
(September 6 – October 6, 2024)

Every year, the themed lanterns will be set up next to the Clock Tower in Tsim Sha Tsui. This exhibition usually lasts more than three weeks. In 2024, it is from September 6 to October 6, 2024.

The thematic lantern displays are with various themes each year. This year, the theme topic is “Dragon Palace on the Moon” designed by local multimedia artist Jet HSU. It involves the Chinese traditional dragon dance and lantern-making craftsmanship. The thematic lantern display with the Victoria Harbour as background always wins the heart of locals and becomes one of the hottest photo and Instagram spots.

Dragon Palace on the Moon (2024)
（Photo source: LCSD)

Dragon Palace on the Moon (2024)

In 2023, the theme was “Moon Machine”.

The Moon Machine (2023)

The Moon Machine (2023)

It is not the first time the lantern exhibition in TST involving some high tech. In 2021, the theme “The Other Side of the Moon” also used some energy-saving installations. Several rabbits were sitting right in front of the Clock Tower, looking down to the cellphones. Rabbit is an essential icon to this specific festival.

The Other Side of the Moon (2021)

Rabbit lanterns of The Other Side of the Moon (2021)

Let’s take a look at the photo gallery of previous Mid-Autumn Festival Thematic Lantern Display.

×

Thematic Lantern Display in previous years

In 2017, the theme was “Enchanted Blossom under the Moon”. Giant lanterns were lit up with stunning night view of Victoria Harbour.

Enchanted Blossom under the Moon (2017)

Enchanted Blossom under the Moon (2017)

Lantern display close to Clock Tower lit up at night (2017)

Lantern display close to Clock Tower lit up at night (2017)

Monkey lantern (2016)

In 2014, the theme was “The World in Colours”. It showcased the lanterns designed as different ethnic groups of the world.

Mid-Autumn Festival Thematic Lantern Display (2014)

Thematic Lantern Display (2014)

Thematic Lantern Display (2014)

Netherlands child (2014)

Netherlands and Native American children (2014)

Mexican child and elephant (2014)

Overview of thematic lantern display near TST (2014)

Overview of thematic lantern display near TST (2014)

Close

Go Back to Top

Sik Sik Yuen Mid-Autumn Carnival at Wong Tai Sin Temple

The Sik Sik Yuen Wong Tai Sin Temple usually holds the annual celebration on the Mid-Autumn Festival. You can enjoy the splendid lantern displays here. To celebrate the festival, there will be a illuminating Carnival including the lantern carnivals and the traditional temple fair.

In 2024, to celebrate Mid-Autumn Festival and the 75th Anniversary of the Founding of the PRC, Sik Sik Yuen Wong Tai Sin Temple will hold an Intangible Cultural Heritage Lantern Carnival. From September 15 to October 6th, 2024, visitors can enjoy the large-scale lantern display and enjoy some games at the various booths.

Lantern displays

Wong Tai Sin Temple is one of Hong Kong’s most famous and popular temples with long history and many myths. It is a typical Chinese style temple with traditional garden on the back.

The Sik Sik Yuen Wong Tai Sin Temple will be decorated and illuminated with traditional lanterns everywhere.

Sik Sik Yuen Mid-Autumn Festival Carnivalat Wong Tai Sin Temple
(Photo Source: Hong Kong Commercial Daily)

Sik Sik Yuen Mid-Autumn Festival Carnival at Wong Tai Sin Temple
(Photo Source: Wong Tai Sin Temple)

Sik Sik Yuen Mid-Autumn Festival Carnival
(Photo Source: Wong Tai Sin Temple)

Lanterns will be illuminated from 6:30pm every night. Wong Tai Sin Temple will extend the opening hour to 9:00pm during the activity period (extended to midnight on September 17, 2024).

Game booths and workshops

Besides lantern displays, there are many game stalls where visitors can enjoy themselves.

Carnival performances

Visitors can also be entertained by various shows of intangible cultural heritage.