Text by MOOK Scenic Spots Family Travel Network, reported by Chen Guanxin
In just 5 days, the much-anticipated Mid-Autumn holiday will be here. Many netizens are surely planning to spend the break having fun in Hong Kong and Macau. As the traditional Mid-Autumn Festival approaches, both destinations will host festive events that capture the spirit of the season. From September 14 to 22, Hong Kong will hold the “one2free Lantern Wonderland” at Victoria Park in Causeway Bay, featuring a three-story-tall magical lantern made from 7,000 recycled plastic bottles, showcasing the beautiful phases of the moon. The Tai Hang area of Hong Kong will also launch the “Fire Dragon Dance” celebration starting September 18. Meanwhile, Macau will host activities such as lantern riddles, moon appreciation over tea, and the romantic legend dance drama “Water Moon Luo Shen” from September 18, along with distributing traditional Mid-Autumn treats like “pig cage cakes.” Netizens planning to travel to Hong Kong and Macau during the Mid-Autumn holiday shouldn’t miss this excellent opportunity to experience local festive celebrations.
Visitors to Hong Kong during the Mid-Autumn Festival must experience the impressive energy of the traditional “Fire Dragon Dance.” (Image provided by the Hong Kong Tourism Board)
The large lantern displayed in Hong Kong this time is named “Joyful Mid-Autumn,” designed by young architects Xavier Shiu, Patrick Chan, Hugo Hui, and Terence Ho. It’s the gold award-winning entry from an open design competition. The designers aimed to bring the moon—the central figure of Mid-Autumn—to Victoria Park, reinterpreting the form of lanterns using discarded recycled water bottles. This half-moon-shaped lantern stands ten meters high and is about twenty meters in diameter, constructed from various recyclable or reusable materials, including approximately 7,000 water bottles, steel frames, steel cables, and energy-saving LED bulbs. With changing light effects, the half-moon lantern towering above the pool connects with its reflection on the water, creating the illusion of the moon’s phases.
The lantern exhibited at Victoria Park, made from recycled bottles, uses LED lights to present a stunning scene of the moon floating on water, shifting through its phases. (Image provided by the Hong Kong Tourism Board)
In addition, the Tai Hang area in Hong Kong will host the Fire Dragon Dance. Amidst the beat of drums, nearly 300 people will dance a 67-meter-long dragon adorned with over 10,000 incense sticks through the streets, bringing swirling smoke and flickering flames to usually quiet alleys. This three-day tradition of the Fire Dragon Dance originated in the 19th century when residents sought to ward off plagues, and has since become a unique custom in Hong Kong. In 2011, it was listed as part of the third batch of National Intangible Cultural Heritage.
The centuries-old “Tai Hang Fire Dragon Dance” tradition will take place from 7:30 PM to 10:30 PM on September 18 to 20 in Tai Hang, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong Island. (Image provided by the Hong Kong Tourism Board)
For those planning to visit Macau for the Mid-Autumn Festival, the three-night “Moonlit Harbour” series of celebrations from September 18 to 20 will feature song and dance performances, lantern riddles, and moon appreciation over tea (from 8:30 PM to 10:00 PM, free of charge) at various parks including Sun Yat Sen Memorial Park, Lou Lim Ieoc Garden, Coloane Hac Sa Beach Park, Tap Seac Square, and the Taipa Houses-Museum. On the evenings of September 18 and 19, from 8:00 PM, the Macao Cultural Centre Grand Auditorium will stage the grand epic dance drama “Water Moon Luo Shen under the Moonlit Harbour” (tickets required, unreserved seating), featuring the Zhengzhou Song and Dance Theatre performing the romantic legend “Water Moon Luo Shen,” bringing China’s most exquisite love story to the Macau stage.
Gorgeous lantern displays paired with Portuguese-style architecture create a uniquely international Mid-Autumn atmosphere you won’t find elsewhere. (Image provided by the Macau Government Tourism Office)
The Macau Tourism Board will also hold a free event called “Jade Rabbit Lanterns Illuminate Avenida de São Francisco” during the Mid-Autumn period, featuring traditional Chinese lanterns in Rua da Felicidade, street performances, and the distribution of traditional Mid-Autumn delicacies like pig cage cakes. The Holy House of Mercy’s Casa Garden will also host a free “Mid-Autumn Garden Party” from 6:30 PM to 8:00 PM on September 19, where visitors can stroll the poetic garden with lanterns, enjoy moon gazing, admire traditional rabbit-shaped lanterns, and sample seasonal treats.
● Extended Reading:
Olden Days in Macau: Rediscovering the Historic City
http://goo.gl/X8Igfc
MOOK Scenic Spots Family Travel Network — The Largest Chinese Travel Information Platform
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Celebrating a traditional Chinese festival in front of Ruins of St. Paul’s guarantees visitors a unique and memorable Mid-Autumn experience. (Image provided by the Macau Government Tourism Office)