Hong Kong Tourism Board is scaling up its Mid-Autumn celebrations this year by hosting the first-ever International Lantern Spectacular at Victoria Park, turning the city’s unique traditional culture into a compelling visitor draw and driving the tourism economy.
The event, themed Reunion, will run from September 17 to 27. It will be held alongside the Leisure and Cultural Services Department’s Mid-Autumn Lantern Carnival at the park.
Visitors can look forward to three distinct artistic showcases. The World Lantern Boulevard will feature over 3,000 lanterns from 20 countries and regions, including silk pieces from Jinju in South Korea, vibrant patchwork designs from Brazil, and Polish folk paper-cut crafts.
Meanwhile, intangible cultural heritage craftsmanship will be showcased through four giant tailor-made Nanjing Qinhuai masterpieces. The centerpiece is “Shadowlight,” an eight-meter-tall installation at the main entrance inspired by Hong Kong’s iconic banyan trees, featuring a layered canopy that invites guests to weave through light and shadows.
The Qinhuai collection will also include “Lotus Fish,” an aquatic display, as well as two circular installations, “Dragon Gate” and “Moonlit Lotus.”
Completing the showcase is the Hong Kong Lantern Galleria at Hill Knoll Pavilion, where over 400 locally handcrafted pieces shaped like rabbits, star fruit, and goldfish recreate a nostalgic scene.
Installations will be lit daily from 6.30pm to 11pm, with operating hours extended until 12am on Mid-Autumn Festival (Sep 25).
Speciality mooncake stalls in partnership with Po Leung Kuk will also sell regional varieties—including Shanghai Suzhou-style mooncakes, Yunnan ham flavours, and Chiuchow-style options—from September 17 to 20 at the South Pavilion Plaza in the park. All proceeds will be donated to the charity.
HKTB lead advisor for event and product development Mason Hung Chung-hing said that while the board does not have a fixed visitor forecast for the debut event, it expects strong interest from both locals and visitors. He said the September travel period and the upcoming Golden Week holiday should help drive demand.
He added that crowd management measures are expected to be applied only on the main night of Mid-Autumn Festival. On other dates, access is expected to remain normal, subject to final coordination with the police.
Hung also said the lantern spectacular will be complemented by a wider range of Mid-Autumn festivities, including events such as Tai Hang Fire Dragon Dance, along with industry offers and promotions, to build a fuller festive atmosphere.
