Lantern Festival Celebrations

Lantern Festival falls on the 15^th day of the Lunar New Year. It is the first full moon night of Lunar New Year which also marks the last day of Chinese New Year celebrations. This year, the date of Lantern Festival Hong Kong is on 8 February 2020.

During the Chinese Lantern Festival, people eat glutinous rice balls which symbolize a family reunion, pray in temples, go to lantern carnivals to admire lanterns and solve riddles on the lanterns. In the past, young singles who participated in lantern carnivals had a tradition of finding love on the festive day. Therefore, it is also called “Chinese Valentine Day”.

Spring Lantern Festival is not to be confused with the Mid-Autumn Festival of which sometimes also known as “Lantern Festival” in some locations.

Lantern Festival has a long history. The origin of Chinese Lantern Festival varies, however, it can be traced back to Qin and Han Dynasty (221 BC – 220 AD) when people used to pray for good harvests, celebrate the birthday of the Official of Heaven and admire the full moon.

Lantern Festival Hong Kong

For Hong Kong Lantern Festival, Lantern Carnival is organized by the Entertainment Office, now the Community Programme Office, in different places every year. There are large-scale lantern displays, folk dance, traditional stage arts, booth games, exhibition on traditional craftsmanship of lantern making and more which attract singles, couples and families. Details of Lantern Carnivals are as follows,

Lunar New Year Lantern Display:

• Theme:                Flying High with the Golden Dragon
• Date:                    25 January to 9 February 2020
• Time:                    6 – 11 pm
• Admission:          Free
• Venue:                  Hong Kong Cultural Centre Piazza, Tsim Sha Tsui

Lunar New Year Lantern Carnival:

City Centre

• Hong Kong Cultural Centre Piazza
• Carnival Night: 8.2 (Sat) 7:30-10 pm
• Youth Night: 7.2 (Fri) 7:30-9:30 pm

New Territories East

• Wai Man Road Playground and Sai Kung Waterfront Park
• Carnival Night: 9.2 (Sun) 7:30-10pm
• Youth Night: 8.2 (Sat) 7:30-9:30pm
• Lantern Display: 4-9.2 (Tue to Sun) 6pm-11pm

New Territories West

• Tung Chung North Park
• Carnival Night: 7.2 (Fri) 7:30-10pm
• Youth Night: 6.2 (Thu) 7:30-9:30pm
• Lantern Display: 4-9.2 (Tue to Sun) 6pm-11pm

Are you going to the Lantern Carnival this year? Feel free to share with us about Spring Lantern Festival Hong Kong.

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