How To Celebrate Chinese New Year 2026 In Hong Kong: CNY Events & Markets

Wondering how to celebrate Chinese New Year 2026 in Hong Kong? We’ve rounded up Year of the Horse events, parades and flower markets, plus lion dances and more!

We may be about a month into 2026 but the real big deal in Hong Kong is Chinese New Year! Once you’ve learnt the traditional customs, sorted out the perfect festive fit, booked your Chinese New Year meal and gathered lai see to give out (I’m talking to you, newlyweds!) — you’re ready to celebrate the biggest festival of the year. We’re talking Chinese New Year fireworks, the Cathay CNY parade and so much more for the Year of the Horse.

Editor’s Note: This article is being continuously updated with Chinese New Year information and offerings.

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When Is Chinese New Year?
What To Do

When Is Chinese New Year?

Chinese New Year celebrates the start of the Chinese lunisolar calendar year, tending to mark the end of a cold, dark winter and welcome spring. This year, the first day of that calendar will fall on Tuesday, 17 Feburary, 2026, welcoming the Year of the Horse — a creature that symbolises enthusiasm, speed and fieriness in Chinese culture.

Traditionally, the festival could be celebrated up to 15 days, starting from its Eve through to the Spring Lantern Festival (not to be confused with the Mid-Autumn Lantern Festival). We get three statutory public holidays for the Lunar New Year in Hong Kong, so Chinese New Year holidays will run from Tuesday, 17 February to Thursday, 19 February, 2026.

Read More: Public Holidays In 2025 – How to Maximise Your Annual Leave

CNY Events: How To Celebrate Chinese New Year 2026 In Hong Kong

Chinese New Year Flower Markets 2026 — Victoria Park & More

Heading to a Chinese New Year flower market in Hong Kong is almost synonymous with the festival. We’re expecting a total of 15 2026 Lunar New Year fairs and flower markets across the city, with the biggest at Victoria Park in Causeway Bay. Fairs will open on Thursday, 23 January, giving you plenty of time to get ready for the new year — stock up on festive flowers, lucky kumquat trees, CNY decorations and Year of the Snake plushies and toys, while munching on Hong Kong-style eats and other treats.

When: Thursday, 23 January to Wednesday, 29 January, 9am to 12am
Where: 15 locations across Hong Kong Island, Kowloon, the New Territories and Outlying Islands, at various parks and playgrounds — see the list here
How much: Free entry

Lee Tung Avenue — Traditional Dragon & Lion Dance

On the first four days of the Lunar New Year, the iconic avenue will become full of life with traditional lion dance performances. Traditional festive food will be also distributed to spectators to drum up the joyous atmosphere. On 7 February, the Dragon and Lion Dance Spectacular will return with breath-taking pole jumping performances and the parade of a golden dragon!

When: Wednesday, 29 January to Saturday, 1 February, 2025 and Friday, 7 February, 2025
Where: Lee Tung Avenue, 200 Queen’s Road East, Wan Chai, Hong Kong
How much: Free entry

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Discovery Bay Chinese New Year Market 2026 — Handmade Hong Kong

And make sure to also pencil in Handmade Hong Kong’s annual Chinese New Year Market in Discovery Bay! Again, beautiful handmade offerings from local vendors will be on offer, like art, jewellery, candles, activewear, apparel, sweet treats, savoury eats and so much more.

When: Sunday, 19 January, 2025, 11am to 6pm
Where: DB Plaza, 1 Discovery Bay Road, Discovery Bay, Lantau Island, New Territories, Hong Kong
How much: Free entry

Read More: Things To Do In Hong Kong This Month

2026 Cathay International Chinese New Year Night Parade

Cathay’s Chinese New Year Night Parade is back! Expect a procession of stunning floats to spread auspiciousness and luck across Tsim Sha Tsui, and plenty of musical and dance performances before, during and after. Buy tickets for spectator stands or find somewhere along the parade route to view for free — make sure to check the parade route map!

When: Wednesday, 29 January, 6pm (pre-parade performance), 8pm to 9:45pm — see full timings here
Where: Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon. From Hong Kong Cultural Centre Piazza, 10 Salisbury Road through Canton Road, Haiphong Road and Nathan Road — see the parade route map here
How much: Free if you head to a spectator-friendly spot along the parade route. You can also buy tickets for spectator stands from the Hong Kong Tourism Board Kowloon Visitor Centre located in the Tsim Sha Tsui Star Ferry Pier — see pricing here

Read More: What To Wear On Chinese New Year — Year Of The Horse

Lam Tsuen Well-Wishing Festival, Wishing Tree & New Night Market

Visit Lam Tsuen’s Wishing Tree to participate in Hong Kong’s Well-Wishing Festival — the age-old custom of writing your hopes and dreams for the year ahead on joss paper and throwing them into the wishing tree’s branches in Tai Po. If your paper stays on the tree without falling back down, it’s believed that your wish will come true! This year, we’re expecting lotus lanterns, golden mandarins, food stalls, a couple of performances — and a planned night market in Tai Po as part of the government’s “Night Vibes Hong Kong” campaign.

When: Wednesday, 29 January to 12 February, 2025
Where: Lam Tsuen Wishing Tree, Lam Tsuen Wishing Square, Lam Tsuen Heung Kung Sho Road, Lam Tsuen, New Territories, Hong Kong
How much: Free

Read More: Your Ultimate Hong Kong Bucket List

2026 Lunar New Year Fireworks Display In Hong Kong

Catch the annual Chinese New Year Fireworks show from either side of the Victoria Harbour; watching a guaranteed-to-be big, beautiful, display as Hong Kong ushers in the Year of the Snake with a bang. The best places to watch the fireworks in Hong Kong will be along the shores of Tsim Sha Tsui, Central, Admiralty and Wan Chai — see our top fireworks vantage spots here.

When: Thursday, 30 January, details have yet to be announced
Where: Victoria Harbour, Hong Kong

Blessing of Ceramic Flowers At Mira Place

To welcome the Year of the Snake, Mira Place presents Hong Kong’s first mall ceramic flower art installation, featuring over 3,000 exquisite blossoms with immersive light effects and a six-metre tall Fortune Auspicious Snake as the centrepiece. But it’s not just eye candy! There is also an interactive LED installation “Blessing of Lucky Koi Fish” that offers fortune telling, various locations in the mall to take part in the Snake Year Blessing guessing game, and a Fortune Wishes Floral Chair you can sit on to receive blessings — because who doesn’t want a little extra luck?

When: Until Sunday, 16 February, 2025
Where: Mira Place, 132 Nathan Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon, Hong Kong

Creative Workshops & Performances At DX Design Hub

Not only can you watch a captivating Lunar New Year Lion Dance performance on Monday, 3 February, but you can also partake in free fun workshops if you’d rather get your hands a little messy. These include Introduction to 3D Drawing and Recycle Scented Potpourri Making. If you’d like to get an inside look into the art of storytelling centred around Chinese New Year, you can even join the PechaKucha!

When: Until Saturday, 8 February, 2025 — find out more about events here
Where: DX Design Hub, 280 Tung Chau Street, Sham Shui Po, Kowloon, Hong Kong

Read More: Where To Buy Scented Candles In Hong Kong

AIA Carnival’s Chinese New Year Celebration

Immerse yourself in the vibrant New Year atmosphere at AIA Carnival where tradition meets contemporary fun. The lively Lion Dance parade will kick off the celebrations on Wednesday, 29 January and continue on until Wednesday, 5 February. You’ll of course have a perfect view of the Victoria Harbour Fireworks if you happen to be at the carnival on 30 January, so it’s a win/win! Plus, the Blue Girl Dai Pai Dong will bring the essence of local Cantonese fare to exciting events that include live music, DJ performances, and movie screenings. To top it all off, there’ll be CNY-themed plushies up for grabs, and of course the shows at Live at The Big Top are not to be missed!

When: Lunar New Year events until Sunday, 9 February — get tickets here for AIA Carnival and here for Blue Girl Dai Pai Dong
Where: AIA Carnival, Central Harbourfront Event Space, 9 Lung Wo Road, Central, Hong Kong