South China Morning Post
A history of the Mid-Autumn Festival in Hong Kong in pictures, from families with lanterns in parks to fire dragon dances
Hong Kong
  • Memorable moments captured by Post photographers over the past half-century show the different ways Hongkongers enjoy the festival
Hong Kong
Dave Besseling
Why you can trust SCMP

The Mid-Autumn Festival is celebrated on the 15th day of the eighth month in the Chinese lunar calendar.

As people in Hong Kong once again feast on mooncakes and look forward to gathering under the full moon with colourful lanterns, we look back at how the city has celebrated the festivals in the past, as seen through the lens of South China Morning Post photographers.

1970: Children take part in the lantern parade in Tai Hang. Photo: Chan Kiu
2010: The Mid-Autumn Lantern Carnival in Victoria Park. Photo: David Wong
1990: A hoarding for Wing Wah’s mooncakes in Wan Chai. Photo: SCMP
2019: Residents of Wah Fu Estate, in Pok Fu Lam, attend the Pok Fu Lam Fire Dragon Dance. Photo: May Tse
2019: The Pok Fu Lam Fire Dragon Dance ends at Waterfall Bay, in Pok Fu Lam. Photo: May Tse
1977: A lantern parade at Ocean Park. Photo: Sam Chan
2009: A 17-metre-long (56 ft long) lantern installation called “The Endless Innovation”, based on the Chinese philosophy classic I Ching, in Victoria Park. Photo: Dickson Lee
1990: A packed Victoria Park, in Causeway Bay, alight with lanterns. Photo: SCMP
1982: Children play with lanterns in Victoria Park. Photo: C.Y. Yu
1994: A boy celebrates Mid-Autumn Festival in Victoria Park. Photo: SCMP
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