Illustration: Yum Cha Now, AI-generated. It sets the scene and is not a photograph of the venue.
Every autumn, Causeway Bay's biggest park turns into a glowing maze of oversized paper lanterns, and in 2026 the display is bigger than ever. The Victoria Park Mid-Autumn Lantern Carnival returns from 17 to 27 September 2026, this year paired with the Hong Kong Tourism Board's first-ever International Lantern Spectacular, themed "Reunion," bringing more than 3,000 lanterns from 20 countries and regions alongside the LCSD's usual craft demonstrations and riddle-guessing games.
In This Guide
What is the Lantern Carnival?
The Mid-Autumn Lantern Carnival is Hong Kong's largest official lantern display, staged annually by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) on the Central Lawn of Victoria Park (維多利亞公園) in Causeway Bay. In 2026 it runs alongside the Hong Kong Tourism Board's debut International Lantern Spectacular: a World Lantern Boulevard of over 3,000 lanterns from 20 countries and regions (including silk pieces from Jinju, South Korea and Polish folk paper-cuts), four giant hand-crafted Nanjing Qinhuai installations including an eight-metre "Shadowlight" centrepiece, and a Hong Kong Lantern Galleria of 400+ locally handcrafted lanterns at the Hill Knoll Pavilion.
It's free, unticketed and designed as a walk-through experience: come for half an hour to see the main installations, or make an evening of it with the riddle-guessing games and craft stalls that run alongside the lanterns.
When is it, and how does it fit Mid-Autumn Festival?
Mid-Autumn Festival (中秋節) falls on Friday 25 September 2026, with the following day observed as the public holiday. The Victoria Park carnival runs for a week and a half around the festival itself, from 17 to 27 September, so there's no need to fight the biggest crowds on the festival night alone — though it is, unsurprisingly, the busiest night to visit.
It sits alongside a wider cluster of Mid-Autumn traditions across the city. A short MTR ride away in Causeway Bay, the Tai Hang Fire Dragon Dance runs for three nights around the same period, and on the festival's final night the fire dragon's route traditionally extends toward Victoria Park itself. If mooncakes are more your speed, see our guide to Hong Kong's hotel mooncakes for 2026.
Address, hours and how to get there
Victoria Park Mid-Autumn Lantern Carnival
The carnival is an open-air, walk-through display with no gates or entry queue, though the Central Lawn gets genuinely packed on Mid-Autumn Festival night itself. Arriving earlier in the evening, or on a weeknight away from 25 September, makes for a noticeably calmer visit. Check the Hong Kong Tourism Board's listing closer to the date for the confirmed lantern theme and programme.
Is it worth visiting with kids?
Yes — it's one of the more low-effort, high-atmosphere free outings on Hong Kong's autumn calendar. The lantern sculptures make an easy visual draw for younger children, the riddle-guessing games give older kids something to do beyond looking, and the whole thing sits inside a large, flat, pram-friendly park rather than a crowded street. It pairs naturally with a stop for mooncakes beforehand, or a wander through nearby street food in Causeway Bay.
If you're building a longer Mid-Autumn weekend itinerary, our Tai Hang Fire Dragon Dance guide covers the other side of Causeway Bay's festival programme, while our free things to do in Hong Kong round-up has more no-cost options if you want to stretch the evening further.
Frequently Asked Questions
Plan your visit
Free, family-friendly and lit up every night for over a week. The Victoria Park Mid-Autumn Lantern Carnival runs 17–27 September 2026.