Hong Kong Events & Festivals Calendar 2026-27

This guide covers the coming cycle - Christmas 2026 and the 2027 general holidays - and it is organised around one question: what is on Lantau, and what is not. Each entry gives you the venue: Po Lin Monastery at Ngong Ping, the waterways of Tai O, or Tai Pak Beach at Discovery Bay - or says plainly that the event is a Hong Kong-wide one to look up elsewhere.

Your Complete Festival Calendar

Hong Kong's festival calendar peaks 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 13, 2027 (Thursday)

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. No 2027 programme or ticket details had been published by Po Lin when this was checked, so confirm the arrangements with the monastery before you set your date.

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 5, 2027 (Monday)

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 - 2026 edition was 20 June - 2 July 2026; 2027 dates not yet announced

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) - June 9, 2027 (Wednesday)

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. The parade is held on Tuen Ng, and no 2027 listing has been published yet - check with the organisers before planning a trip around it.

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 - city-wide, not on Lantau

Not a Lantau event, and not a Disneyland event: Hong Kong Summer Viva is the Hong Kong Tourism Board's city-wide summer promotion, with offers at attractions, shops, hotels and restaurants across Hong Kong, and Hong Kong Disneyland is one participating partner. No 2027 edition has been announced. For Hong Kong-wide events, see the Hong Kong Events Calendar.

Autumn Festivals (September - November)

🌕 Mid-Autumn Festival - September 15, 2027 (Wednesday)

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. The gazetted general holiday is the day following the festival, Thursday 16 September 2027. The documented Lantau Mid-Autumn events are both at Tai O: the Tai O Water Village Lantern Festival, with hand-painted lanterns hung through the lanes, and the Tai O Night Boat Parade on the waterways.

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 - not on Lantau: Hong Kong's fire-dragon dances are held at Tai Hang and Pokfulam Village on Hong Kong Island, not on Lantau. If you are on Lantau at Mid-Autumn, look for the Tai O lantern displays and night boat parade instead.

🏃‍♂️ TransLantau by UTMB - 13-15 November 2026, Mui Wo

Watch elite athletes tackle one of Asia's most challenging trail runs across Lantau's mountainous terrain, with the start and finish in Mui Wo. The 2026 edition runs 13-15 November 2026 in the 15 km, 27 km, 45 km and 104 km categories, and it is the UTMB World Series race on Lantau. No 2027 date has been published.

Race Categories:

• 2026 edition distances: 104 km, 45 km, 27 km and 15 km

🎪 The BIG Picnic - 21 November 2026 (ticketed)

A beach music-and-dance festival at Tai Pak Beach and DB Plaza in Discovery Bay, with local and international performers across a full day. The 2026 edition is not free: the beach is closed off and entry requires a ticket, with early-bird tickets at HK$198 (ages 5-17 HK$98, under 5 free). No 2027 date has been published.

Winter Festivals (December - February)

🎄 Christmas Celebrations - December 25, 2026 (Friday)

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 - February 6-9, 2027 (Saturday-Tuesday)

Welcome the Year of the Goat with traditional celebrations featuring temple prayers, family reunions, and festive markets. The 2027 general holidays run Saturday 6 February to Tuesday 9 February 2027: Lunar New Year's Day is Saturday 6 February, and because the second day falls on a Sunday the fourth day, Tuesday 9 February, is designated as a general holiday in substitution.

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 20, 2027 (Saturday)

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 - no next-edition date announced

An independent electronic music festival that debuted on Lantau at Tai Long Wan on the Chi Ma Wan Peninsula on 15-17 March 2024, organised by Studio 8.5 Co. Ltd. No next edition has been announced: there is no published date for 2025, 2026 or 2027, and no announcement of a move to another venue.

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 - 2027 dates to be announced (2026 run: 14-15 February 2026)

Handmade Hong Kong's Chinese New Year weekend market at DB Plaza, 1 Discovery Bay Road, Discovery Bay, with handmade Hong Kong crafts, traditional foods and family activities. The most recent run was Saturday 14 - Sunday 15 February 2026, 11am-6pm, free entry. No 2027 dates have been published yet - check Handmade Hong Kong's listings before you plan around it.

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.