Mid-Autumn Festival 2026: Essential Information
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Festival | Mid-Autumn Festival, Hong Kong |
| Festival Day | 25 September 2026, Friday; public holiday on 26 September 2026, Saturday. In 2027, Festival Day falls on 15 September, Wednesday. |
| Flagship ritual | Tai Hang Fire Dragon Dance on the festival eve, Festival Day and the day after, from 24–26 September 2026, usually around 7:30 pm–10:00 pm. The tradition is recognised as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage. |
| Main lantern sites | HKCEC and Wan Chai, Victoria Park at 1 Hing Fat Street, Lee Tung Avenue at 200 Queen’s Road East, Wan Chai Promenade and Tsim Sha Tsui Cultural Centre Piazza at 10 Salisbury Road. |
| Admission | Outdoor lantern displays and waterfront promenades are generally free. Tai Hang street viewing is free but may be crowd-controlled. |
| Business-travel hotel | Novotel Century Hong Kong, 238 Jaffe Road, Wan Chai. The hotel is about an eight-minute walk from HKCEC and approximately 5–10 minutes from several lantern sites. |
What the Mid-Autumn Festival Ritual Means
For business travellers new to the festival, three ideas explain many of the customs you will see:
- Reunion: families share mooncakes and spend time together under the full moon.
- Light: lanterns and fire symbolise the driving away of bad luck.
- Gratitude: prayers express thanks for a good harvest and hopes for future prosperity.
The Tai Hang Fire Dragon Dance brings all three ideas together, using fire and drumbeats to dispel misfortune while bringing an entire neighbourhood together in a public procession.
1. Tai Hang Fire Dragon Dance: The Ritual to Know
According to local legend, a plague struck Tai Hang in 1880. Villagers paraded a straw dragon covered in burning incense to drive away the disease, and the misfortune eventually lifted. Today, more than 300 performers carry a 67-metre dragon covered with tens of thousands of incense sticks through Wun Sha Street, Ormsby Street and Lily Street before the procession continues towards Victoria Park.
Expect drumbeats, sparks, smoke and dense crowds. The parade usually takes place on the festival eve, Festival Day and the night after. In 2026, the scheduled dates are 24–26 September, around 7:30 pm–10:00 pm. Arrive before 7:00 pm and follow official crowd diversions.
Location: Tai Hang, Causeway Bay, about a five-minute walk from Tin Hau MTR Station2. Lantern Sites You Can Visit
Victoria Park International Lantern Spectacular
Victoria Park is a traditional choice for large-scale lantern installations, craft activities and stage performances. It is suited to visitors who want a family-oriented festival atmosphere and a fuller evening programme.
Address: 1 Hing Fat Street, Causeway BayAccess: Causeway Bay MTR Station or Tin Hau MTR Station
Typical timing: 17 – 27 September, usually around 6:30 pm–11:00 pm. Check the official programme from Hong Kong Tourism Board dedicated site.
Lee Tung Avenue Moon Fest
Lee Tung Avenue is a practical choice for business travellers who want lantern photographs without committing to a longer evening away from Wan Chai. Its 200-metre lantern canopy is especially attractive after dinner and is about five minutes from Novotel Century Hong Kong.
Address: 200 Queen’s Road East, Wan ChaiAccess: Wan Chai MTR Station
Typical timing: Shops generally open 10:00 am–10:00 pm; lanterns are usually illuminated from around 6:00 pm during the festival period.
Wan Chai Promenade and HarbourChill
The waterfront near Wan Chai Ferry Pier is open around the clock and offers a quieter way to enjoy the festival. Locals bring mooncakes and tea to the lawns to watch the moon rise over Kowloon. You can pair a visit with the 8:00 pm Symphony of Lights show.
Location: Wan Chai waterfront near Wan Chai Ferry PierOpening: Waterfront access is available 24 hours, subject to venue or event arrangements.
3. Mooncakes for Gifting and Sharing
For client and team gifting, a traditional double-yolk lotus-seed mooncake box paired with a snow-skin mooncake box is a practical combination. Traditional flavours suit formal gifting, while snow-skin varieties are convenient for sharing during an informal team gathering.
Useful shopping options include the SOGO Hong Kong B2 supermarket at 555 Hennessy Road, Lee Gardens seasonal pop-ups in Causeway Bay, and Kee Wah or Maxim’s counters across the city. Festival pop-ups usually appear from late August through Festival Day, but popular flavours may sell out during the final week.
For corporate gifting, buy early, keep receipts and check expiry dates and ingredient labels. Prices, stock and seasonal collections change, so confirm details with the individual store before placing a large order.
4. Client Dinners and Team Dinners Near HKCEC
Use this proximity-first selection when guests need to return to conference sessions quickly. Unless stated otherwise, the venues below are accessible on foot, with covered walkways available for many routes.
Client Dining
- TANGRAM Bistro and Bar: a modern bistro for business lunches and client dinners, with bento, tapas and French-inspired mains.
- The Atrium, HKCEC, 1/F: refined Cantonese cuisine and dim sum under a high glass ceiling, allowing formal hosting without leaving HKCEC.
- Ming Court, Eagle Centre: award-winning Cantonese cuisine with private rooms, about a two-minute walk via the footbridge.
- Minato, Harbour Centre: premium teppanyaki and omakase for a more intimate business dinner.
Relaxed Group Dining
- FRITES, Sun Hung Kai Centre: Belgian mussels and pork knuckle for relaxed groups, about four to five minutes away.
- MAEK JEOK, Sun Hung Kai Centre: Korean charcoal barbecue for informal team dinners.
- Tai Hing, Sun Hung Kai Centre: crispy roast pork and char siu for a quick local-style meal.
- Kam Kee, Harbour Centre: dry-fried beef ho fun and other familiar Hong Kong comfort dishes.
Buffets and Post-Meeting Drinks
- Le Café, Novotel Century Hong Kong, 1/F: an international seafood buffet about an eight-minute walk from HKCEC.
- Congress Plus, HKCEC, 4/F: a harbour-view buffet with seafood inside the convention centre.
- AK’s bar+lounge, Novotel Century Hong Kong, Mezzanine: cocktails and light bites for a post-meeting debrief without leaving the hotel base.
Quick Bites Between Sessions
- Harbour Kitchen, HKCEC: brisket noodles, baked pork chop rice and milk tea.
- Harbour Road Cafe, HKCEC Harbour Road entrance: Lavazza coffee and convenient takeaway options.
- Traders, HKCEC: noodles and quick in-venue meals.
- Maison Kayser and 7-Eleven Cafe, Exhibition Centre Station: convenient snacks and drinks.
- Coffee within three to five minutes: N1 Coffee and Co., Cupping Room and Fineprint.
Getting Around During the Festival
- Exhibition Centre MTR Station: on the East Rail Line and directly connected to HKCEC.
- Wan Chai MTR Station: on the Island Line, about a five-minute walk from HKCEC via footbridges.
- From Hong Kong International Airport: take the Airport Express to Hong Kong Station, about 24 minutes, then transfer by MTR to Exhibition Centre Station, about five minutes. The full journey takes approximately 35 minutes and costs about HK$110.
- Taxi from the airport: approximately 40–50 minutes and HK$350–450, depending on traffic.
- Star Ferry: Wan Chai Ferry Pier to Tsim Sha Tsui takes approximately 15 minutes.
- Tai Hang: take the MTR to Tin Hau Station, then walk for about five minutes.
Where to Stay for Mid-Autumn Festival Business Travel
For a Hong Kong business trip combining Mid-Autumn Festival activities with trade fairs, Novotel Century Hong Kong keeps HKCEC, lantern sites and the Wan Chai waterfront within one practical walking cluster. The hotel is about an eight-minute walk from HKCEC, five minutes from Lee Tung Avenue and around 10 minutes from Victoria Park and the waterfront, helping guests avoid post-event traffic after late lantern visits.
- Complimentary Wi-Fi: fast, stable Wi-Fi across all 509 refurbished rooms and public areas for sourcing, meeting notes and business communication.
- Trade show amenities: a 10,000-square-foot fitness centre, outdoor pool, Le Café buffet, TANGRAM-adjacent hosting options and AK’s bar+lounge.
- Extended-stay discounts: eligible multi-day delegates can access the Long Stay offer, with 25% off stays of 10 nights or more.
Book direct at Hong Kong’s Mid-Autumn business base to check best rates and current offer terms.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is Mid-Autumn Festival in Hong Kong in 2026?
Festival Day is 25 September 2026, Friday. The public holiday is 26 September 2026. In 2027, Festival Day falls on 15 September, Wednesday.
Do I need tickets for Hong Kong lantern displays or the Fire Dragon Dance?
Outdoor lantern displays and Tai Hang street viewing are generally free. Crowd control, route diversions and occasional bag checks may apply on busy festival nights.
What is the best two-hour evening plan near HKCEC?
Start with a quick bite at Harbour Kitchen or Harbour Road Cafe, walk to Lee Tung Avenue for the lanterns, then continue to Wan Chai Promenade for moon-gazing. For a formal evening, book TANGRAM for dinner and finish with drinks at AK’s bar+lounge.
Where is the best place to buy mooncakes for business gifting?
SOGO Hong Kong B2 and Lee Gardens seasonal pop-ups are convenient choices for traditional and snow-skin mooncake boxes. Keep receipts, ingredient labels and expiry information for corporate gifting and customs checks.
How do I get to Tai Hang from Wan Chai?
Take the MTR to Tin Hau Station and walk for about five minutes to Wun Sha Street. On parade nights, follow official crowd diversions and arrive before 7:00 pm.
