Hong Kong is a type of cities the place a pageant doesn’t keep inside a calendar date. It spills into parks, neighbourhoods, buying streets and dinner tables. Come Mid-Autumn, the town will get slightly extra vibrant, slightly extra dramatic and significantly extra enjoyable. This yr, the celebrations are notably tempting for travellers, with the primary Worldwide Lantern Spectacular taking on Victoria Park from 17 to 27 September, alongside one in every of Hong Kong’s most well-known traditions, the Tai Grasp Fireplace Dragon Dance. In case you have been to Hong Kong earlier than and finished the standard Victoria Peak, harbour views and dim sum circuit, this can be a somewhat pretty excuse to see one other facet of the town. And if that is your first go to, you get to mix the traditional Hong Kong sights with a pageant that locals have grown up with. Listed below are 5 issues I might placed on my listing.
1. Stroll by means of a world of lanterns at Victoria Park
The brand new Worldwide Lantern Spectacular at Victoria Park is centred across the theme of Reunion, which feels notably apt for Mid-Autumn. The pageant brings collectively lanterns from 20 nations and areas, creating the World Lantern Boulevard with greater than 3,000 lanterns.
It’s the form of night stroll that sounds easy till you realise how a lot there may be to have a look at. South Korean silk lanterns carry needs for household well being, Brazil brings vibrant patchwork designs, whereas Polish lanterns draw from conventional paper chopping. So, as a substitute of strolling by means of a park taking a look at one large set up, you’re basically transferring between completely different interpretations of the identical pageant. For photographers, this ought to be one of many prettiest night stops in Hong Kong throughout the celebrations. For everybody else, it’s a good excuse to decelerate and easily stroll round with a digicam telephone in hand.
2. Search for the lanterns that include 1,700 years of historical past
Not all lanterns are merely fairly pageant decorations. Some carry centuries of craft behind them.
One of many highlights at Victoria Park is Shadowlight, an eight-metre lantern impressed by Hong Kong’s banyan timber. It attracts from Nanjing’s Qinhuai lantern craft, which has a historical past of round 1,700 years and holds Nationwide Intangible Cultural Heritage standing. Then there may be Lotus Fish, the place illuminated carp seem to maneuver between monumental lotus leaves. Each installations use round kinds, tying again to the concept of reunion that runs by means of this yr’s pageant. That is the half I notably like about cultural festivals. You possibly can take a look at one thing as a result of it makes an excellent {photograph}, then realise there may be a complete historical past behind what you’re seeing.
3. Discover the old-fashioned Hong Kong lanterns
For one thing that feels extra historically native, head in direction of the Hill Knoll Pavilion and the Hong Kong Lantern Galleria. Greater than 400 handmade lanterns recreate the ambiance of Yuen Lengthy’s well-known Lantern Road. Anticipate traditional shapes together with rabbits, star fruit and goldfish, with the form of vibrant handmade allure that feels very completely different from massive up to date installations. That is in all probability the place I might spend slightly additional time if I wished images that truly felt linked to Hong Kong somewhat than merely being one other vacationer shot. And sure, there may be completely room for the compulsory Instagram second. A pageant this vibrant could be troublesome to withstand.
4. Eat a mooncake and take one dwelling too
No Mid-Autumn Competition in Hong Kong is full with out mooncakes. From 17 to twenty September, the Hong Kong Tourism Board is partnering with Po Leung Kuk for a Regional Mooncake Sale at South Pavilion Plaza. Guests can attempt mooncakes impressed by flavours from completely different elements of the area and choose up a number of for household and associates again dwelling. There’s additionally a pleasant motive to buy past merely bringing again one other edible memento. Proceeds from the sale will go to charity. For Indian travellers, this might make a enjoyable addition to the standard Hong Kong buying listing. As a substitute of coming dwelling with one more generic memento, you’ll be able to carry again one thing that’s really linked to the pageant you skilled.
5. Observe the Fireplace Dragon by means of Tai Grasp
That is the one I might save loads of vitality for. The Tai Grasp Fireplace Dragon Dance has been held for 147 years and is recognised as Nationwide Intangible Cultural Heritage. From 24 to 26 September, a 67-metre dragon lined in round 12,000 burning incense sticks winds by means of the streets of Tai Grasp whereas drums set the tempo. There’s something splendidly theatrical about the entire thing. The dragon is big, the incense is burning, and the streets grow to be a part of the efficiency. Get there early if you would like a great place. And don’t rush off as soon as the principle procession ends. In the course of the finale, performers hand burning incense sticks to spectators, bringing the viewers immediately into the ritual. That’s the form of pageant second you have a tendency to recollect lengthy after the pictures have disappeared into your telephone gallery.
Hong Kong will get festive past Victoria Park
The Mid-Autumn celebrations aren’t restricted to 1 park or one night. Buying malls and neighbourhoods round Hong Kong take part by means of September with themed installations, seasonal meals and festive markets. That makes this a superb time to discover the town with out treating the pageant as a single occasion you could tick off. Spend a night round Victoria Park. Strive a mooncake. Search for the smaller neighbourhood celebrations. Then make your solution to Tai Grasp for the Fireplace Dragon Dance. Hong Kong already is aware of how one can placed on a superb evening out. Throughout Mid-Autumn, it provides 1000’s of lanterns, conventional crafts, mooncakes and a 67-metre fire-breathing dragon to the combination. Truthfully, I can not consider a greater motive to return.
*With info from Hong Kong Tourism.