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Mong Kok was alive with festive energy early Saturday evening as residents and tourists alike donned creative costumes to celebrate Halloween, marking the return of a major outdoor carnival at Langham Place for the first time since 2006.
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The bustling streets took on the vibrant atmosphere of a grand masquerade, with a specially decorated red minibus dubbed the "Mong Kok Monster Bus" emerging as the star attraction for photo-seekers.
Crowds line up for local-themed minibus photo spot
The festive mood was already building in the afternoon outside the shopping mall, where early birds gathered in full costume. By 6pm, a long queue had formed in front of the iconic red minibus, which was styled to pay tribute to Hong Kong's unique transport culture. Crowds also gathered around the main stage as more revellers arrived to join the celebrations.
Among the early visitors were two mothers who brought their children dressed up as Little Red Riding Hood and a little pumpkin. Having spotted the promotional materials for the event on Instagram earlier, they had planned their visit specifically to take photos with the uniquely local-themed minibus.
Revellers show off creative outfits in spirited parade
Creative costumes of all kinds filled the venue as participants went all out with their festive transformations. Two students joined the crowd dressed as dinosaurs, praising the joyful atmosphere and the realistic, dedicated performances of the event's costumed staff.
First-time participants also made an impression with their playful getups. Two friends dressed as characters from the cooperative climbing video game PEAK, sharing their excitement at bringing the virtual world to life after being repeatedly stopped by other visitors for photos.
They noted that they planned to head to East Tsim Sha Tsui later in the evening to continue their celebrations.
Another pair of first-timers, who joked that they had dressed up as "beauties" for the night, expressed great satisfaction with the stage and the interactive games, having completed two rounds of activities and preparing for a third.
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Tourists from mainland China join local festivities
The carnival also drew visitors from outside Hong Kong, including tourists from the mainland who traveled specifically to experience the city's unique Halloween vibe.
Three visitors dressed as characters from the animated movie Ratatouille praised the venue's setup, local vendor booths, and stage design, noting in Cantonese that the event had a wonderful atmosphere and expressing hope that it would return next year.
Another group of five mainland tourists, including a young child, also made a special trip to Hong Kong to soak in the holiday spirit. Their elaborate lineup featured costumes of the Statue of Liberty, the founder of the popular mainland restaurant chain Chef Fei, the villain character Joe played by Daniel Wu in the movie New Police Story, and a cat-themed mother-daughter duo.
One of the visitors, who hand-crafted her Statue of Liberty costume, shared how much she enjoyed the creative process and the lively celebrations, adding that while they rarely dress up, the strong festive atmosphere in Hong Kong this year had inspired them to take part.
