Mid-Autumn Festival: Inaugural Int’l Lantern Spectacular opens Thurs in Victoria Park

Causeway Bay’s Victoria Park will be transformed into a global showcase of lantern crafts from Thursday to mark the upcoming Mid-Autumn Festival.

The inaugural International Lantern Spectacular, organised by the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB), will be free to enter and will run until September 27.

The showpiece installation will be a giant “masterpiece” lantern called Shadowlight – an illuminated, eight-metre banyan tree artwork crafted by Nanjing master artisans.

Near the model boat pool, visitors can stroll down the “World Lantern Boulevard,” showcasing festive lanterns from 20 countries, according to the HKTB. Thematic decorations and a mooncake sales booth will also be on offer as Hongkongers prepare for the annual lantern festival.

Tsim Sha Tsui’s Hong Kong Cultural Centre Piazza will also see a lantern display from Thursday, which will be illuminated from 6:30pm every evening until October 11.

Mid-Autumn Festival falls on Friday, September 25. Hongkongers will enjoy a public holiday the day after.

Fire dragon dances

Near Victoria Park, the annual Tai Hang Fire Dragon Dance will take place between September 24 and 26. The centuries-old tradition will see a 67-metre dragon, bristling with 12,000 incense sticks, dance through the streets of Tai Hang.

Elsewhere, Lee Tung Avenue’s “Moon Fest Lumiere” has been decorated with 800 traditional red lanterns – viewable around the shopping and dining thoroughfare from now until October 19. On September 25, an 18-metre LED version of the fire dragon is set to weave through the area.

Pok Fu Lam village and Aberdeen will also see fire dragon dances.

Free Light Rail rides

Meanwhile, passengers will enjoy free fares on the MTR Light Rail network on September 25, as part of Huatai International’s collaboration with the Strive and Rise Programme.

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Tom founded Hong Kong Free Press in 2015 as the city's first crowdfunded newspaper. He has a BA in Communications and New Media from Leeds University and an MA in Journalism from the University of Hong Kong. He previously founded an NGO advocating for domestic worker rights, and has contributed to the BBC, Deutsche Welle, Al-Jazeera and others.

Tom leads HKFP – raising funds, managing the team and navigating risk – whilst regularly speaking on press freedom, ethics and media funding at industry events, schools and conferences around the world.