Mid-Autumn Lantern Carnival 2026 Kicks Off at Victoria Park with Spectacular Displays and Festive Activities

Grand lantern carnival to celebrate Mid-Autumn Festival

The Mid-Autumn Lantern Carnival 2026, organised by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD),is running from today (September 17) until September 27 at Victoria Park, featuring multiple spectacular lantern displays, as well as a wide range of performances and festive activities, to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival.

Themed "A Delightful Journey through the Lantern Garden", the carnival draws inspiration from Hong Kong's distinct flavours, brought to life through radiant displays of light. For the highlight lantern display, "A Feast of Light and Cherished Memories", playful smiling faces are added to beloved local delicacies such as egg waffles, Hong Kong-style milk tea, curry fishballs and more, spreading the festive joy. "Love in Every Moment" is a lantern installation portraying a blooming flower complemented by heart-shaped light plaques and a corridor of heart-shaped arches, featuring scenes of daily life in Hong Kong.

The traditional lantern display "Lantern-lit ICH: Shining with Craft Under Moonlight" is crafted by veteran paper-crafting master Hui Ka-hung. Featuring rabbits embracing a giant moon, singing nanyin and waving a lion-head lantern, the display allows visitors to experience the warmth of ICH (Intangible Cultural Heritage)handicrafts amid the festive atmosphere. Also on display are "Pandas and Steeds Beneath the Palms" featuring adorable giant pandas and galloping steeds, as well as a large-scale lantern installation "Heartfelt Wishes to the Moon under the Glow of Lanterns" created by students and persons with disabilities.

This year's Mid-Autumn Lantern Carnival, for the first time presented by the Hong Kong Tourism Board, features the large-scale Nanjing Qinhuai lantern installation "Shadowlight". The approximately 8-metre-tall banyan tree lantern set blends exquisite ICH craftsmanship and with brilliant colours and lighting that can be admired from multiple angles.

In addition, a Mid-Autumn creative market, a Chinese knots DIY zone, and self-service lantern riddles are available during the carnival. From September 24 to 26, craft demonstrations of Portuguese azulejo tile painting and Hakka-patterned band weaving, as well as workshops on local traditional lantern crafting will be available at the Carnival. On Mid-Autumn night, there will be a Tai Hang fire dragon dance to enter Victoria Park and a gala night withCantonese opera excerpts, as well as folk dancing and Chinese music performances. A youth night will be held on the evening of September 26, featuring performances by young artists.

The LCSD will also present a Mid-Autumn lighting installation, "Moonlit Bunny Crew", at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre Piazza from today (September 17) to October 11. Created by local creative team STICKYLINE, the installation uses simple yet vivid geometric shapes to present the districts’ distinctive landmarks. "Moonlit Bunny" rabbits, appearing throughout the design, capture Hong Kong's finest moments with cameras.

The installations will be lit daily from 6.30pm to 11pm, with extended lighting hours until midnight on Mid-Autumn Day (September 25).

For more details, please call 2591 1340 or visit:www.cpo.gov.hk/event/en-mid-autumn-lantern-carnival-2026/.

The Mid-Autumn Lantern Carnival 2026 is one of the programmes of the Chinese Culture Festival 2026.

The Leisure and Cultural Services Department also presents a Mid-Autumn lighting installation at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre Piazza from today (September 17) to October 11. Photo shows "Moonlit Bunny Crew" created by local creative team STICKYLINE. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The Leisure and Cultural Services Department also presents a Mid-Autumn lighting installation at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre Piazza from today (September 17) to October 11. Photo shows "Moonlit Bunny Crew" created by local creative team STICKYLINE. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The Mid-Autumn Lantern Carnival, organised by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, for the first time this year features the large-scale Nanjing Qinhuai lantern installation "Shadowlight", presented by the Hong Kong Tourism Board. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The Mid-Autumn Lantern Carnival 2026, organised by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, is running from today (September 17) until September 27 at Victoria Park to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival. Photo shows the large-scale lantern installation "Heartfelt Wishes to the Moon under the Glow of Lanterns", created by students and persons with disabilities. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The Mid-Autumn Lantern Carnival 2026, organised by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, is running from today (September 17) until September 27 at Victoria Park to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival. Photo shows the lantern display "Pandas and Steeds Beneath the Palms", featuring adorable giant pandas and galloping steeds. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The Mid-Autumn Lantern Carnival 2026, organised by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, is running from today (September 17) until September27 at Victoria Park to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival. Photo shows the traditional lantern display "Lantern-lit ICH: Shining with Craft Under Moonlight", crafted by veteran paper-crafting master Hui Ka-hung. Featuring rabbits embracing a giant moon, singing nanyin and waving a lion-head lantern, the display allows visitors to experience the warmth of Intangible Cultural Heritage handicrafts. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The Mid-Autumn Lantern Carnival 2026, organised by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, is running from today (September 17) until September 27 at Victoria Park to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival. Photo shows the lantern installation "Love in Every Moment", portraying a blooming flower complemented by heart-shaped light plaques and a corridor of heart-shaped arches, featuring scenes of daily life in Hong Kong. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The Mid-Autumn Lantern Carnival 2026, organised by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, is running from today (September 17) until September 27 at Victoria Park to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival. Photo shows the highlight lantern display "A Feast of Light and Cherished Memories", themed around local delicacies to spread the festive joy. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The Mid-Autumn Lantern Carnival 2026, organised by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, is running from today (September 17) until September 27 at Victoria Park to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival. Photo shows the Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Ms Rosanna Law (Centre); the Permanent Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Ms Vivian Sum (Sixth Right); the Director of Leisure and Cultural Services, Ms Manda Chan (Fifth Right); the Chairman of the Hong Kong Tourism Board, Dr Peter Lam (Sixth Left), and other guests at the lighting session. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

HKSAR LegCo strongly condemns and opposes external forces' defamation and smears against court's sentencing in the "conspiracy to commit collusion" case of Wong Chi-fung

The following is issued on behalf of the Legislative Council Secretariat:

Multiple Western countries, anti-China media, overseas organisations and politicians have recently made untruthful remarks under the pretext of the court's sentencing in the case of Wong Chi-fung concerning the offence of "conspiracy to commit collusion with foreign countries or with external elements to endanger national security", defaming and smearing the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region's (HKSAR) judicial system and national security laws, and attempting to deliberately distort Wong Chi-fung's criminal acts of harming the interests of the country and the HKSAR into personal political expression. A spokesperson for the Legislative Council (LegCo) of the HKSAR yesterday (November 6) stated that this is entirely a political manipulation aimed at confusing the public and misleading the public of Hong Kong as well as the international community. LegCo expresses resolute opposition against this.

The LegCo spokesperson emphasised that the court has clearly pointed out that Wong Chi-fung and Law Kwun-chung were the masterminds of the case, and the advocates at the forefront calling for foreign countries to impose sanctions or other hostile measures against Hong Kong. Before the implementation of the Hong Kong National Security Law (HKNSL), they had persistently colluded with foreign countries or external elements, actively and openly soliciting foreign countries to impose sanctions against China and Hong Kong. Following the implementation of the HKNSL, they continued to commit acts endangering national security. As stated in the HKSAR Government's statement, the Basic Law specifically stipulates that the judicial power, including that of final adjudication, vested with the HKSAR, is to be exercised by the Judiciary independently, free from interference. Regardless of the occupation, political belief or background of the persons involved in the case, all cases are dealt with in an equal and impartial manner. In this case, the court emphasised that the HKNSL does not have retrospective effect and that Wong Chi-fung was not punished for his pre-HKNSL acts or activities, nor for his political ideology.

The LegCo spokesperson pointed out that in this case, Wong Chi-fung has pleaded guilty to the charge and the relevant facts of the offence, and the court has also fully considered various legal principles and evidence before handing down its sentence in accordance with the law. However, some external forces with ulterior motives have disregarded facts and evidence, and under the pretext of this case, wantonly attacked the HKSAR's work in safeguarding national security, human rights, freedom and the rule of law, and even demanded the unconditional release of Wong Chi-fung and the withdrawal of his charges. The LegCo spokesperson emphasised that this is a serious undermining of the rule of law.

The LegCo spokesperson further pointed out that some Western countries have long used "human rights" and "freedom" as pretexts to make irresponsible remarks on Hong Kong affairs, which are purely China's internal affairs. Regarding the HKSAR's efforts to combat crimes endangering national security in accordance with the law, the standards they hold are completely different from those they adopt when dealing with severe social unrest in their own places. Such double standards completely violate international political ethics and are totally unacceptable, and are strongly condemned.

The LegCo spokesperson stated that since the implementation of the HKNSL and the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance, Hong Kong society has restored stability and prosperity, and has continued to rank among the top globally in various international business and competitiveness rankings, including maintaining its top ranking as the world's freest economy, ranking first globally in cross-border wealth management, and recording an increase in its global competitiveness ranking for three consecutive years to rank second globally this year. The latest data from the HKSAR Government shows that Hong Kong's gross domestic product in the third quarter of this year registered a notable year-on-year growth estimate of 5.2 per cent, and the economic outlook remains positive. Regarding the rule of law, the headquarters of the International Organization for Mediation was established in Hong Kong last year, providing efficient mediation services for the international community; the International Institute for the Unification of Private Law has also recently established its Asia-Pacific Liaison Office in Hong Kong, further demonstrating Hong Kong's leading position as an international legal hub.

The LegCo spokesperson reiterated that it is an inherent duty for the HKSAR, including LegCo, to firmly safeguard national security, and once again urged the relevant Western countries, anti-China media, overseas organisations and politicians to squarely face the serious nature and objective facts of cases endangering national security in Hong Kong, and immediately cease interfering in China's internal affairs and HKSAR affairs.

Source: AI-found images