Fireworks, floats, and New Year performances—Hong Kong rings in the Year of the Tiger with festive cheer

Just entering February, Hong Kong is already brimming with strong Lunar New Year vibes, with lively and jubilant celebratory events kicking off one after another. Major spectacles such as nighttime float parades and fireworks over Victoria Harbour are the focal points of February’s activities, complemented by colorful shopping and dining delights, as well as enriching cultural and artistic programs, making Hong Kong a top destination for New Year celebrations.

This year, the Lunar New Year’s Day coincides with Valentine’s Day, adding even more joy and warmth to February 14. From February 8 to 21, Hong Kong launches a series of New Year festive activities that blend traditional customs with innovative entertainment elements, creating the most distinctive Lunar New Year celebration. The first wave of activities includes the Lunar New Year Fair held just before the festival, where you can enjoy flowers and shopping in a bustling market, immersing yourself in especially rich festive atmosphere. The fair uniquely captures the local flavor of Hong Kong’s New Year spirit—the vibrant and beautiful festive flowers carry auspicious meanings. Join the crowd at the market and pick lucky blooms such as peach blossoms, mandarin oranges, and kumquats to welcome a prosperous year.

During the Lunar New Year, visiting temples to pray for blessings is a traditional custom for Chinese people. On New Year’s Eve, head to the Sik Sik Yuen Wong Tai Sin Temple to offer the first incense of the year and pray for good fortune in the coming year; the Yu Quan Taoist Temple in Tsuen Wan is a popular spot for worshipping the Tai Sui deity; the Che Kung Temple in Sha Tin remains crowded with worshippers seeking good luck right up to the Che Kung Festival on the second day of the New Year; as for the wishing tree in Lam Tsuen, Tai Po, and the Man Mo Temple on Hollywood Road in Central, they are also hotspots for prayer and wish-making.

On the evening of the first day of the Lunar New Year, the highlight of the New Year festivities—the “Cathay Pacific International Chinese New Year Night Parade”—takes center stage. Gorgeous and dazzling floats, along with a star-studded lineup of international and local performance troupes, parade along Tsim Sha Tsui, delivering a spectacular show. After the parade, a large-scale float exhibition will be held for seven consecutive days, extending the festive New Year atmosphere until February 21. The magnificent floats will be displayed at Ocean Terminal, New World Centre, Sha Tin Park, and Lam Tsuen Public Park, allowing visitors to experience their grandeur up close.

To experience more of Hong Kong’s tourism events or to soak in the festive New Year atmosphere, you can visit the Hong Kong Tourism Board for more activity information.

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Extended reading: Fireworks over the sea at Miyajima Underwater Fireworks Festival (provided by Tripass Attractions)