Hong Kong Launches First-Ever International Lantern Spectacular

HONG KONG, Sept. 18, 2026 /CourierPR/ -- Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) has launched its first-ever International Lantern Spectacular today (17 September) at Victoria Park, marking a new chapter in the city’s Mid-Autumn Festival celebrations. The event, which features more than 3,000 distinctive lanterns from 20 countries and regions, has transformed Victoria Park into a dazzling sea of lights, blending traditional Hong Kong lanterns with international cultural heritage.

The spectacle, themed around “Reunion,” invites visitors to embark on an immersive global cultural journey through the World Lantern Boulevard, located along the walking trail near the Model Boat Pool. This area showcases lanterns from Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, and Indonesia, each representing unique cultural traditions. For instance, the Brazilian Festa Junina lanterns reflect the joyful spirit of rural celebrations, while the French La Marche des Lampions lanterns create a joyful sea of light during Bastille Day festivities.

In addition to the lantern displays, the event includes two innovative robots that add a technological twist to the traditional Mid-Autumn celebrations. Robot “Hanyue” demonstrates the art of lacquer fan-making, an intangible cultural heritage, by performing steps such as floating lacquer, dipping, swirling, and lifting the fan. Meanwhile, “Galbot ET1” presents dance performances that blend technology and tradition, offering a refreshing new way to experience the festival.

The National Intangible Cultural Heritage Nanjing Qinhuai lantern-making team has created four giant lantern installations exclusively for Hong Kong. Among them is the eight-metre-tall Shadowlight, an iconic banyan tree-inspired lantern that invites visitors to wander through layers of interwoven light and shadow. The Lotus Fish lantern corridor, located at the South Pavilion Plaza, features 12 large, illuminated lotus leaf installations, complemented by vibrant carp displays, creating a captivating Mid-Autumn lantern journey through the park.

At the Water Fountain Plaza, the Dragon Gate installation features a pair of leaping carp forming a circular motif, complemented by intricately hand-painted auspicious cloud and water patterns that take on a translucent, radiant glow after dark. At the Model Boat Pool, the seven-metre-tall Moonlit Lotus creates a captivating scene as its luminous full moon is reflected alongside illuminated lotus lanterns on the water, evoking the enchanting beauty of a moonlit lotus pond.

The distinctly local Hong Kong Lantern Galleria, located in Victoria Park’s Hill Knoll Pavilion, showcases more than 1,000 traditional handcrafted local lanterns in nearly 20 classic designs, such as goldfish, rabbit, star fruit, and lotus flower. Recreating lively scenes of traditional street-side lantern-viewing celebrations, the display highlights Hong Kong’s unique Mid-Autumn traditions and evokes the charm and nostalgia of the festive season.

To enhance the festive experience, HKTB has partnered with Po Leung Kuk to set up a specialty mooncake booth at the South Pavilion Plaza in Victoria Park from now until 20 September. The booth will sell a wide range of specialty mooncakes, including Suzhou-style mooncakes from Shanghai, Yunnan ham mooncakes, and Chiuchow-style mooncakes filled with taro paste, black bean paste, or mung bean paste. All proceeds will be donated to Po Leung Kuk for charitable purposes, adding a heartwarming touch and festive flavour to the lantern-viewing journey.

The International Lantern Spectacular runs from 17 to 27 September, with lighting hours from 6:30pm to 11:00pm, extended to 12am on 25 September. Robot “Hanyue” will demonstrate the art of lacquer fan-making at Soccer Pitch No. 1 from 17 to 27 September, with demonstration times from 6:30pm to 10:30pm. On Mid-Autumn Festival Day, the demonstration will only be available from 6:00pm to 7:00pm to facilitate crowd management. Robot “Galbot ET1” will perform dance routines at Soccer Pitch No. 1 from 17 to 21 September, with performance times from 7:00pm to 10:00pm, one session every 45 minutes, each lasting five minutes.

The event is part of a broader citywide Mid-Autumn festival, which includes the Tai Hang Fire Dragon Dance from 24 to 26 September. To help locals and visitors plan their festive itineraries, HKTB has curated a citywide roundup of Mid-Autumn highlights and offers presented by shopping malls and merchants across Hong Kong. These include lantern-viewing and photo-taking hotspots, culinary experiences, special promotions on mooncakes and festive souvenirs, shopping rewards, and seasonal markets. By encouraging visitors to explore various neighbourhoods, the initiative showcases Hong Kong’s festive charm, where Eastern and Western cultures converge and tradition meets modernity, while stimulating visitor spending and benefiting the wider tourism economy.