If you’re a relative newcomer and not sure exactly what to expect during this huge holiday on the annual calendar, check out our guide to Chinese New Year things to do in Hong Kong โ from key events on the calendar this year, to Chinese New Year traditions such as lai-see packets and lion dances.
2026 Chinese New Year events
Hong Kong will once again come alive over CNY, with red lanterns, lion dances, festive markets and auspicious food. Hereโs a quick look at some of the key events to kick off the Year of the Horse!
Cathay International Chinese New Year Night Parade
Experience floats, lion/dragon dances, performance troupes, music and cultural acts along the streets of Tsim Sha Tsui.
Date:ย 17 February 2026
Location:ย Tsim Sha Tsui (Kowloon)
2026 Lunar New Year Fireworks Display
Watch fireworks from either side of Victoria Harbour as the city welcomes the Year of the Horse with a guaranteed 23-minute, large-scale display themed โProsperity Gallops Across Hong Kongโ, best viewed along the shores of Tsim Sha Tsui, Central, Admiralty and Wan Chai.
Date: 18 February 2026
Location: Victoria Harbour
Chinese New Year Races at Sha Tin
Thrilling horse races, lion dances, live music and more await at Sha Tin Racecourse.
Date:ย 19 February 2026
Location:ย The Hong Kong Jockey Club, Sha Tin
Chinese New Year Flower Markets
Explore markets at Victoria Park or Prince Edward for festive blooms, treats and decorations.
Lam Tsuen Wishing Trees
Write your wishes on joss paper and toss them onto the trees for good luck in Lam Tsuen Village.
Temple Visits
Seek blessings at Wong Tai Sin Temple or spin the fortune wheel at Che Kung Temple for a prosperous year ahead.
Lanterns and Blossoms at Lee Tung Avenue
Lee Tung Avenue celebrates the Year of the Horse with over 800 glowing Chinese lanterns and 12 pink peach blossom trees transforming the Central Piazza into a feng shui-inspired courtyard for good fortune and photo moments, alongside its annual traditional Dragon and Lion dance performances.
Date: 29 January to 15 March 2026
Location: Lee Tung Avenue, 200 Queenโs Road East, Wan Chai
Discovery Bay Chinese New Year Weekend Market 2026
Thereโs a selection of handcrafted creations on offer from local vendors, including art, jewellery, candles, activewear, apparel, sweet treats, savoury delights and much more.
Date: 14 to 15 February 2026
Location: DB Plaza, 1 Discovery Bay Road, Discovery Bay, Lantau Island, New Territories
8 Chinese New Year traditions in Hong Kong
#1 Giving lai-see packets (in person or electronically)
Generally, a senior gives lai-see to a junior; bosses to staff, parents to children, married couples to single friends. Lai-see packets are red and gold for prosperity and good luck. If you’d like to give physical cash in a packet, be sure to get to the bank early to get your glad hands on new notes to give. Never give any amount with 4 in it (in Chinese, this sounds like โdeathโ) or odd numbers, as these are considered bad luck.
Try to avoid giving multiple notes โ one is fine. Proper amounts for children are $20, and for doormen/waiters/service staff, $100 is a kind gesture (unless theyโre your helper โ you might want to pitch in more!)
Rather than a physical gift, you can send your colleague or family member a virtual packet instead. In fact, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) encourages people to use electronic channels for lai-sees; to this end, various banks and e-payment operators offer fun and convenient ways to exchange money. Better for the environment, too!
#2 Wishing trees
If you have some hopes for the year ahead, this CNY tradition in Hong Kong will be right up your alley. Write your new yearโs wishes on a piece of paper tied to a string thatโs attached to an orange. Then, toss this over a tree so that it can collect on the branches, remaining there for your wish to come true.
#3 Lion dances
You will inevitably experience at least one lion dance during Chinese New Year. Traditionally, lion dance troupes dance throughout the two weeks of Chinese New Year, accompanied by a cacophony of drums and firecrackers. These are to scare away the bad spirits of the past year, ensuring luck and prosperity for the coming year.
#4 Getting a haircut, manicure and pedicure (before CNY)!
It’s considered bad luck to cut anything during Chinese New Year, so getting a haircut beforehand is a must. Salons usually charge a premium for services during this period, so if you havenโt already, get thee to the barber, stat!
#5 Lucky plants
Typically, people would visit the Victoria Park CNY Flower Market to grace their home and office with some Chinese New Year flora. Lucky feng shui plants include bamboo (luck), cherry blossoms (new beginnings, freshness, innocence), Mandarin orange trees (prosperity), peonies (love and romance, female beauty), orchids (perfection, abundance, purity), pussy willows (growth, prosperity), and daffodils (wealth, fortune).
#6 Cleaning your home, then decorating
Before Chinese New Year, thoroughly clean your home of all the accumulated bad luck from the previous year. This clears space for the good fortune of the upcoming year, ensuring a fresh start for the new lunar new year. Cleaning and clearing away during Chinese New Year is a no-no, so donโt get these mixed up!
To properly follow this CNY tradition in Hong kong, decorate with themes in red and gold to signify happiness, good luck and prosperity. Fill your home with lucky plants, mystic knots (good luck, protection), goldfish (abundance, prosperity), pineapples (wealth, fortune, prosperity; sounds like โgood luck coming your wayโ in Chinese), and place nine oranges in the lounge or kitchen (good luck, prosperity; citrus guards against bad luck).
#7 Giving and receiving oranges during home visits
Visits to homes are a common Chinese New Year tradition. They’re also often accompanied by the exchange of tangerines and oranges. The Chinese words for tangerine and orange sound like โluckโ and โwealthโ, and it is considered rude to ring up at anyoneโs home during CNY empty-handed. When you arrive at someoneโs home at this time, present a pair of oranges (or pairs) to the head of household. They’ll then exchange these as a gesture of goodwill during the festive period.
#8 Launching wishing lanterns
It’s customary during the first full moon of the Lunar Year โ which signifies the end of Chinese New Year โ for colourful lanterns to be launched into the night sky. People write wishes on the lanterns before they rise in a blaze of glory. The LCSD sets up an amazing Lantern Exhibition in the grounds of the HK Cultural Centre as part of the Chinese New Year Celebrations, which runs for about a month. There are also free displays and carnivals set up at West Kowloon Waterfront Promenade and in the New Territories.
Now read on to discover more insights on living in Hong Kong.
