2023 Hong Kong Mid-Autumn Festival Lantern Carnivals and Displays

The 2023 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.

When is 2023 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 2023, the Mid-Autumn Festival is on the September 29, 2023.

Because this festival is celebrated with the moonlight and illuminated lanterns at night, thus the day after the festival (30th of September 2023) is designated as the public holiday (2023 Hong Kong Public Holidays).

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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.

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 2023 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.

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2023 Hong Kong Mid-Autumn Lantern Carnivals and Displays – the largest events

Every year, there will be three different Mid-Autumn Lantern Carnivals in different districts:
　(1) 2023 Urban Mid-Autumn Lantern Carnival (highly recommended);
　(2) New Territories East Mid-Autumn Lantern Carnival 2023;
　(3) New Territories West Mid-Autumn Lantern Carnival 2023;

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

All three carnivals consist 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 three carnivals. 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 23 – October 2, 2023, Sat – Mon)

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 is “Chinese Delights in Full Splendour”, carrying all sorts of Chinese traditional elements. The displays will run from September 23 – October 2, 2023 (Sat to Mon). It is always the event with the most visitors among all the celebrations.

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

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

Victoria Park Fire Dragon Dance for Lantern Carnivals
– (10:30 pm – 11:30 pm, September 29, 2023)

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.

Victoria Park Carnival Night / Gala Night
– (September 23 – October 2, 2023)

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”. However, this year the Gala Night is only available at East and West New Territories venues. In Victoria Park, it has been replaced with lantern displays, Cantonese Opera performance, the exhibition of intangible cultural heritage and lantern riddles.

In previous year, various live performance on the Gala Night was also available in Victoria Park.

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

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In case Victoria Park is too crowded, you might want to take a closer look at some other options. Just be aware that these two venues are 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, these two options are not really convenient for tourists to visit.

2. New Territories East Mid-Autumn Lantern Carnival

Sha Tin Park (New Territories)

Lantern Display + Carnival Night/Gala Night + Live Performance

The New Territories East Mid-Autumn Lantern Carnival in Sha Tin Park is a little bit far away from the city center. But if you are staying in Hyatt Regency Kong Kong, Royal Park Hotel, or planning to visit Ten Thousand Buddha Monastery, it is then very close by.

The Lantern Carnival celebrations are during September 23 till October 2, 2023. It runs for 10 days till the day after the National Day. Check out the schedule and show lists of 2023 New Territories East Mid-Autumn Lantern Carnival.

This year, the lanterns in Sha Tin Park turns here into cute animal world filled with all kinds of creatures. You will find giraffe, panda, rabbit and horse lanterns.

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3. New Territories West Mid-Autumn Lantern Carnival
Tuen Mun Park (New Territories)

Lantern Display + Carnival Night / Gala Night + Live Performance

Another option for getting away from the crowds in Urban Mid-Autumn Lantern Carnival is the one in Tuen Mun Park. It is also located in New Territories and far away from downtown.

The Lantern Carnival celebrations also run for 10 days, from September 23 to October 2, 2023 (Sat to Mon). In case you are interested, here is the schedule and show lists of 2023 New Territories West Mid-Autumn Lantern Carnival.

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

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2023 Mid-Autumn Thematic Lantern Display
(September 15 – October 8, 2023)

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 2023, it is from September 15 to October 8, 2023.

The thematic lantern displays are with various themes each year. This year, the theme topic is “The Moon Machine” with interactive lighting installations. The colors of lanterns will vary according to the nearby visitors. 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.

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.

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

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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. Visitors can enjoy the large-scale lanterns and attend the lantern riddle activities.

In case you are the fan of miniature exhibition and astronomy observation, do come and enjoy the workshops during the celebration.

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. From the giant dragon lantern, the Monkey King from the Journey to the West to 12 Zodiacs, the temple will be full of festival elements.

2023 Sik Sik Yuen Centennial Carnival is expected to last 4 to 6 days. More details will come soon.

Lanterns will be illuminated from 6:00 pm every night. Visitors can redeem free gifts by participating in the activities.

Game booths and workshops

Besides lantern displays, there are many game stalls where visitors can enjoy themselves. There are altogether 16 game stalls and 6 workshops.

Carnival performances

Visitors can also be entertained by various shows, including performances of dragon dance, magician, acrobatics, ventriloquist, shadow play, belly dancers, yo-yo, a cappella, rope skipping and many more.