Mid-Autumn Festival 2026: Best things to do to celebrate in Hong Kong

Every year during the Mid-Autumn Festival, the Leisure and Cultural Services Department sets up numerous lantern decorations across the city. This year, the displays will light up from 6.30pm to 11pm at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre Piazza (Sept 6-Oct 11) and Victoria Park (Sept 17-27).

Over at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre is the ‘Moonlit Bunny Crew’, a colourful, geometric display of Hong Kong’s iconic attractions created by local creative team Stickyline. Alongside the International Lantern Spectacular at Victoria Park, there is also a series of lanterns themed around the city’s unique food culture and everyday life. A Mid-Autumn Creative Market will also take place on Saturdays and Sundays during the event period.

Sik Sik Yuen Wong Tai Sin Temple is celebrating the Mid-Autumn Festival with large themed lantern displays across its grounds and Wong Tai Sin Temple Square, turning the area into a luminous playground to mark its 105th anniversary. Visitors can spot 106 birthday sheep lanterns and a tribute to Hong Kong’s first female astronaut, while evening guests arriving after 6pm can collect a complimentary glowing gift. The 18-day celebration also features DIY lantern-making workshops, riddle-solving games, stargazing sessions, free ice cream pop-ups, and a glowing dragon parade in front of the Main Altar.

The lantern festival runs from September 17 to October 4, open until 9pm on weekdays and 10pm on weekends and public holidays, with extended hours to 11pm on September 25 for Mid-Autumn night.

Back by popular demand, the lantern display at Wan Chai’s beloved Blue House returns from now until October 14. Featuring over 700 lanterns hand-painted by residents, neighbours, and local illustrators, the display stretches across Stone Nullah Lane, Kat On Street, Hing Wan Street, King Sing Street, and Queen’s Road East, turning the old tong lau and street corners into a brilliant community showcase. The lanterns light up every evening from 6pm to 9.30pm. 

Lee Tung Avenue has transformed its 200-metre pedestrian walkway into a sea of light for its Moon Fest Lumiere, hanging more than 800 traditional lanterns overhead. This year’s display combines the art of paper-cutting with modern light design, featuring custom palace lanterns with silhouettes that illustrate timeless folklore tales, family reunions, lantern-making, and more.

Beyond the canopy, visitors can explore a pop-up store from Hang Heung Bakery, a weekend market, and enjoy a Mid-Autumn concert on Sept 26 (2pm-6pm). The signature LED Fire Dragon Fiesta will also make its grand return on September 25 at 8.30pm, so mark your calendar!

Ahead of the Mid-Autumn Festival every year, crowds would rush to ‘Lantern Street’ at Yuen Long’s Tai Kiu Market to get their hands on traditional handcrafted lanterns. From rabbits and goldfish to fruits, dinosaurs, and other funky designs, the market’s narrow aisles would fill up with an assortment of colourful lanterns, turning it into one of the city’s most atmospheric Mid-Autumn photo spots.