Your guide to the Mid-Autumn festival in Hong Kong this year
Mid-Autumn Festival is once again upon us. SCMP.com brings you the highlights of the activities going on around Hong Kong.
What is the Mid-Autumn festival?
Also known as the Lantern Festival and Mooncake Festival, it is a harvest festival celebrated in some parts of south east Asia but predominantly China, Korea and Vietnam. It takes place on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month in the Chinese calendar during a full moon. In Hong Kong, the day after the festival is a public holiday.
How is it celebrated?
Where are the key areas to celebrate in Hong Kong?
Tai Hang: Each year Tai Hang, Causeway Bay, hosts a fire dragon dance. Legend has it that in the 19th century the villagers of Tai Hang fought off a plague with a fire dragon dance. More than 300 performers take part in the dance which this year takes place between 7:30pm to 10:30pm on September 18, 19 and 20.
Victoria Harbour: There are several activities planned on the water this year including a cruise on the Bauhinia, a triple-decker ferry with both cabin seating and open area. The two-hour cruise sets off at 7:30pm from North Point (East) Passenger Ferry Pier, Hong Kong Island;stopping at Hung Hom Ferry Pier, Kowloon at 8pm on September 18-20.
Star Ferry is also operating a Harbour Tour called Shining Star. The one-hour trip sets sail at 7:55pm on September 18-20 at Star Ferry’s Harbour Tour Ticket Counter, Tsim Sha Tsui Star Ferry Pier, Kowloon.
Victoria Park, Causeway Bay: The one2free Lantern Wonderland Carnival is the place to be if you want to see the impressive centrepiece ‘Rising Moon’, a 10-metre high semi-spherical illuminated orb made from 7,000 recycled plastic bottles lit with LED lights. September 19, 6-30pm to midnight. September 20th, 21st and 22nd September, 6-30pm to 11pm
