Hong Kong Events & Festivals Calendar 2025

Experience Hong Kong's rich cultural tapestry through year-round festivals and celebrations on Lantau Island. From ancient Buddhist traditions to vibrant dragon boat parades, discover authentic cultural experiences that connect you with local heritage while creating lasting memories in spectacular natural settings.

Your Complete Festival Calendar

Hong Kong's festival calendar attracts 1,900 monthly searches with peaks reaching 3,600 in June, when summer celebrations transform Lantau Island into a cultural wonderland. These time-honored traditions offer intimate glimpses into Chinese heritage, Buddhist spirituality, and fishing village customs that have shaped Hong Kong for centuries.

Lantau Island serves as the spiritual heart of Hong Kong's festival scene, hosting major celebrations at Po Lin Monastery, the historic Tai O fishing village, and scenic outdoor venues that showcase the island's natural beauty alongside cultural traditions.

Spring Festivals (March - May)

🌸 Buddha's Birthday - May 5, 2025 (Monday)

Experience Hong Kong's most significant spiritual celebration at the foot of the majestic Tian Tan Buddha. Po Lin Monastery transforms into a center of devotion as thousands gather for traditional ceremonies honoring Siddhartha Gautama's birth.

Festival Highlights:

• Buddha Bathing Ritual: Sacred ceremony of pouring fragrant water over baby Buddha statues
• Incense Offerings: Fragrant smoke fills monastery courtyards during prayer ceremonies
• Vegetarian Feasts: Traditional monastery cuisine served to visitors and pilgrims
• Chanting Ceremonies: Monks lead rhythmic prayers echoing through temple halls

Event Details:

• Po Lin Monastery
  📍 Address: Ngong Ping, Lantau Island
  📞 Phone: +852 2985 5248 | 🌐 Website: www.plm.org.hk
  ⏰ Hours: 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM | 💰 Admission: Free

🌿 Ching Ming Festival (Tomb Sweeping Day) - April 4, 2025 (Friday)

Honor ancestors during this traditional spring festival when families visit ancestral graves and enjoy outdoor activities. Lantau's hiking trails and beaches provide perfect settings for family picnics following morning ceremonies.

Summer Festivals (June - August)

🪷 Hong Kong Lotus Festival - June 21 - July 2, 2025

Immerse yourself in serene beauty at Hong Kong's premier lotus celebration, featuring over 6,000 potted lotuses and water lilies in hundreds of spectacular varieties. This enchanting festival combines Buddhist spirituality with natural magnificence at Po Lin Monastery's tranquil grounds.

Festival Experiences:

• Lotus Gardens: Thousands of blooming lotuses in countless varieties and colors
• Meditation Sessions: Guided sitting and walking meditation among lotus ponds
• Photography Workshops: Learn mobile photography techniques for capturing lotus beauty
• Traditional Arts: Calligraphy, incense making, and pottery workshops
• Tea Ceremonies: Traditional Chinese tea culture demonstrations

Festival Organizers:

• Po Lin Monastery
  📍 Address: Ngong Ping, Lantau Island
  📞 Phone: +852 2985 5248 | 💰 Admission: Free
  ⏰ Daily Hours: 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
• Institute of Horticulture (Hong Kong)
  📞 Contact: +852 2713 8471
  🌐 Website: www.hkhorti.org

🐉 Dragon Boat Festival (Tuen Ng Festival) - May 31, 2025 (Saturday)

Witness the legendary Tai O Dragon Boat Water Parade, a century-old tradition unique to Lantau Island. This sacred ritual began during a 19th-century plague when fishermen paraded deity statues through waterways to drive away misfortune—a practice that continues today as living cultural heritage.

Tai O Dragon Boat Celebrations:

• Sacred Water Parade: Ornately decorated boats carry temple deities through fishing village canals
• Traditional Races: Local teams compete in authentic dragon boats with drumming and chanting
• Incense Rituals: Paper offerings and incense burning to honor spiritual protectors
• Cultural Performances: Live music, dance, and traditional folk demonstrations

Event Organizers & Information:

• Joint Association of Traditional Dragon-Boats in Tai O
  📧 Email: [email protected] | 📞 Phone: +852 2851 6134
  ⏰ Information Hours: Mon-Fri 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
• Intangible Cultural Heritage Office
  📍 Address: Sam Tung Uk Museum, 2 Kwu Uk Lane, Tsuen Wan
  🌐 Website: www.icho.hk

🎶 Hong Kong Summer Viva - June 28 - August 31, 2025

Celebrate summer with Hong Kong Disneyland's spectacular 20th Anniversary celebrations, featuring the largest-ever parade, exclusive castle shows, and the grandest nighttime spectacular in the park's history.

Autumn Festivals (September - November)

🌕 Mid-Autumn Festival - October 6, 2025 (Monday)

Celebrate the Harvest Moon with traditional lantern displays, mooncake tastings, and family gatherings in Lantau's scenic parks and beaches. The island's elevated locations provide spectacular views of the full autumn moon.

Celebration Activities:

• Lantern Displays: Colorful traditional lanterns illuminating parks and public spaces
• Mooncake Tastings: Sample traditional and modern flavors at local bakeries
• Moon Viewing: Optimal viewing locations across Lantau's mountains and beaches
• Fire Dragon Dance: Traditional performances in select villages

🏃‍♂️ TransLantau Ultra-Marathon - November 2025

Watch elite athletes tackle one of Asia's most challenging trail runs, covering up to 140 kilometers across Lantau's mountainous terrain. This spectacular endurance event showcases the island's rugged natural beauty while testing human limits.

Race Categories:

• TransLantau 140km: Ultimate challenge across entire island
• 50km Mountain Challenge: Lantau Peak and coastal sections
• 25km Fun Run: Accessible route for recreational runners

🎪 The BIG Picnic - Autumn Date TBD

Lantau's largest free music and dance festival brings together local and international performers for a day of family-friendly entertainment in beautiful outdoor settings.

Winter Festivals (December - February)

🎄 Christmas Celebrations - December 25, 2025 (Thursday)

Experience Christmas with a uniquely Hong Kong twist as Buddhist monasteries, fishing villages, and modern resorts each celebrate in their distinctive styles across Lantau Island.

🧧 Lunar New Year - January 29-31, 2025 (Wed-Fri)

Welcome the Year of the Snake with three days of traditional celebrations featuring temple prayers, family reunions, and festive markets throughout Lantau Island.

New Year Celebrations:

• Temple Prayers: First prayers of the year at Po Lin Monastery
• Dragon Dances: Traditional performances in villages and public spaces
• Festive Markets: Special New Year goods and traditional snacks
• Fireworks: Spectacular displays over Victoria Harbour visible from eastern Lantau

💕 Spring Lantern Festival - February 12, 2025 (Wednesday)

Conclude New Year celebrations with romantic lantern displays marking Chinese Valentine's Day. Parks and temples across Lantau feature beautiful illuminated displays celebrating love and renewal.

Exclusive Lantau Island Events

🎯 Jungle Island Music Festival - May 2-4, 2025

After its successful Lantau debut, this electronic music festival moves to Windmill Island but maintains strong connections to Hong Kong's music scene with over 50 DJs and 10+ live acts.

Featured Hong Kong Acts:

• Shumking Mansion - Beloved Hong Kong band
• The Ferals - Local rock favorites
• Warrior Monk - Electronic music pioneers

🏃‍♀️ Discovery Bay Chinese New Year Market - February 2025

Experience relaxed street market vibes with handmade Hong Kong crafts, traditional foods, and family-friendly activities in the expatriate community of Discovery Bay.

Cultural Workshop Calendar

Enhance your festival experiences with hands-on workshops throughout the year:

Regular Workshop Offerings:

• Dragon Boat Paddling Workshops
  📧 Contact: [email protected] | 📞 Phone: +852 2358 8939
  🏢 Organizer: HKUST South China Research Center
• Buddhist Meditation Sessions
  📧 Contact: [email protected]
  🏢 Organizer: Plum Village Hong Kong
  📅 Schedule: Multiple sessions during Lotus Festival
• Traditional Crafts Workshops
  📍 Location: Hong Kong Intangible Cultural Heritage Centre
  📞 Phone: +852 2851 6134

Transportation & Accommodation

Plan your festival visits with convenient transportation and nearby accommodations:

Getting to Festival Venues:

• Ngong Ping 360: Scenic cable car to Po Lin Monastery and Big Buddha
• Bus 11: Direct service from Tung Chung to Tai O fishing village
• Ferry Services: Traditional boats connecting outlying islands

Festival Accommodation:

• Hong Kong Disneyland Hotels - Theme park proximity for summer events
• Discovery Bay Hotels - Expatriate community base for cultural events
• Tai O Heritage Hotel - Historic accommodation in fishing village

Immerse yourself in Hong Kong's vibrant cultural calendar on Lantau Island, where ancient traditions meet modern celebrations in spectacular natural settings. From sacred Buddhist ceremonies to thrilling dragon boat races, each festival offers unique insights into the cultural heritage that makes Hong Kong truly special.