Held alongside the Leisure and Cultural Services Department's Mid-Autumn Lantern Carnival 2026, the spectacular has transformed Victoria Park into a display of illuminated installations, marking the beginning of Hong Kong's Mid-Autumn Festival season. The celebrations invite locals and visitors to explore festive delicacies, shopping opportunities and local traditions beyond the lantern displays, while contributing to the city's tourism economy.
Themed "Reunion", the International Lantern Spectacular brings together traditional craftsmanship, local heritage and international cultures. Two robots add a technological dimension to the festivities. Developed by ChangingTek Robotics Technology (Suzhou) Co., Ltd., "Hanyue" demonstrates the intangible cultural heritage art of lacquer fan-making through techniques including floating lacquer, dipping, swirling and lifting the fan. Meanwhile, "Galbot ET1", developed by Galbot, performs dances that combine technology and tradition, offering visitors a different way to experience the Mid-Autumn Festival.
The World Lantern Boulevard, situated along the walking trail near the Model Boat Pool, features more than 3,000 distinctive lanterns representing 20 countries and regions across Asia, Europe, the Middle East and South America. Visitors can explore lantern traditions from around the world while learning about their historical origins and cultural characteristics through display panels installed along the boulevard. The displays explain diverse folk customs and festive traditions through the art of lantern-making. Bringing these international designs together in one location, the boulevard reflects Hong Kong's role as an international city where people from different parts of the world gather to celebrate reunion during the festive season.
The National Intangible Cultural Heritage Nanjing Qinhuai lantern-making team has created four giant lantern installations exclusively for Hong Kong. One of the highlights is Shadowlight, an eight-metre-tall signature installation inspired by the city's iconic banyan tree. The pioneering walk-through Qinhuai lantern installation allows visitors to move through layers of interwoven light and shadow beneath its illuminated canopy.
At the South Pavilion Plaza, the Lotus Fish lantern corridor features 12 large illuminated lotus leaf installations accompanied by colourful carp displays. Stretching along the pathway, the installation creates a lantern-lit route through the park for visitors exploring the Mid-Autumn celebrations.
At the Water Fountain Plaza, Dragon Gate features two leaping carp arranged in a circular motif. Intricately hand-painted auspicious cloud and water patterns give the installation a translucent, radiant appearance after dark. At the Model Boat Pool, the seven-metre-tall Moonlit Lotus presents an illuminated full moon reflected on the water alongside glowing lotus lanterns, recreating the scene of a lotus pond under moonlight.
Victoria Park's Hill Knoll Pavilion hosts the Hong Kong Lantern Galleria, which showcases more than 1,000 traditional handcrafted local lanterns in nearly 20 classic designs. These include goldfish, rabbits, star fruit and lotus flowers. Recreating the atmosphere of traditional street-side lantern-viewing celebrations, the galleria highlights Hong Kong's distinctive Mid-Autumn customs and the nostalgia associated with the festive season.
The International Lantern Spectacular is scheduled to run at Victoria Park from 17 to 27 September. The lantern displays are illuminated from 6:30 pm to 11:00 pm, with the closing time extended to midnight on 25 September.
Visitors can also watch Hanyue demonstrate intangible cultural heritage lacquer fan-making at Soccer Pitch No. 1 from 6:30 pm to 10:30 pm throughout the event. On 25 September, the demonstration timings will be adjusted to 6:00 pm–7:00 pm for crowd management. Galbot ET1 is scheduled to present dance performances at the same location from 17 to 21 September, with sessions every 45 minutes between 7:00 pm and 10:00 pm, subject to weather and on-site conditions.
Alongside the lantern displays, HKTB has partnered with Po Leung Kuk to operate a specialty mooncake booth at the South Pavilion Plaza in Victoria Park until 20 September. The booth offers a selection 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 community-focused element to the festive celebrations.
Beyond Victoria Park, Hong Kong is hosting a wider programme of Mid-Autumn activities, including the Tai Hang Fire Dragon Dance from 24 to 26 September. To help residents and visitors plan their festive itineraries, HKTB has compiled a citywide roundup of seasonal attractions and special offers from shopping malls and merchants across the city.
The offerings include lantern-viewing and photography spots, culinary experiences, promotions on mooncakes and festive souvenirs, shopping rewards and seasonal markets. By encouraging visitors to explore neighbourhoods beyond Victoria Park, the initiative aims to showcase Hong Kong's festive character, where Eastern and Western cultures converge and tradition meets modernity. The citywide programme also seeks to encourage longer visitor stays, stimulate spending and support the broader tourism economy.
The Hong Kong Tourism Board is a government-subvented body responsible for marketing and promoting Hong Kong as a travel destination worldwide and enhancing visitors' experiences after arrival. Its responsibilities include making recommendations to the Government and other relevant bodies on the range and quality of visitor facilities. HKTB's missions are to maximise tourism's social and economic contribution to the Hong Kong community and consolidate the city's position as a unique, world-class and most desired destination.
By combining international lantern traditions, local craftsmanship, cultural performances, robotics and citywide festive offers, the International Lantern Spectacular brings together multiple dimensions of Hong Kong's Mid-Autumn celebrations while encouraging visitors to discover attractions and experiences across the city.
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