From our harbourfront perch at Regent Hong Kong, we explore the enchantment, rich traditions, and infectious spirit of the city’s most vibrant festival. Mark your calendars: the 2026 Chinese New Year—the Year of the Horse—begins on February 17th, 2026, ushering in a three-day public holiday filled with world-famous events and timeless customs.
Hong Kong’s Chinese New Year celebration blends contemporary spectacle and ancient custom, creating an atmosphere that is both exhilarating and deeply meaningful. Here is how to immerse yourself in the festivities.
Kick Off the 2026 Chinese New Year with the Night Parade: A River of Light and Color (Tuesday, February 17)
The legendary Chinese New Year Parade in Tsim Sha Tsui is a highlight of the season. As dusk falls on the first day of the 2026 Chinese New Year, the streets surrounding Victoria Harbour come alive with a procession of elaborate floats, swirling dragons, and international performance troupes. The atmosphere is electric—alive with rhythm and radiance.
For a memorable vantage point, the harbourfront offers an unmatched perspective away from the busy crowds. Street performances begin around 6:00 PM, building excitement for the main procession, which starts at 8:00 PM and winds through the glittering waterfront.
A Sky Ablaze: The Lunar New Year Fireworks Over the Harbour (Wednesday, February 18)
On the second night, Victoria Harbour becomes the stage for one of the world’s most breathtaking firework displays. The sky ignites in a choreographed symphony of light, perfectly synchronized with music and lights to mark the Lunar New Year. While thousands gather along the promenade, those viewing from above can savor a more serene experience—an elevated panorama where the spectacle unfolds in elegant tranquility. It is an unforgettable sight, blending the city’s vibrant pulse with moments of quiet wonder.
An Authentic Chinese New Year Hong Kong Experience: From Races to Wishing Trees (Thursday, February 19)
The celebrations continue with a choice of classic Chinese New Year Hong Kong experiences. For excitement and pageantry, visit Sha Tin Racecourse, where the Chinese New Year Cup draws thousands of enthusiastic spectators in a festive display of tradition and sport. Alternatively, journey to the Lam Tsuen Well-Wishing Festival in the New Territories to partake in a more tranquil tradition. Here, you can write your wishes on red placards and now tie them to well-wishing racks beside the trees—a thoughtful change introduced to help preserve the original Wishing Trees.
To continue this cherished custom, the villagers of Lam Tsuen have created the Lam Tsuen Wishing Square, where a 25-foot replica Wishing Tree stands as a symbol of hope and tradition. Visitors can still take part in the beloved ritual of offering wishes for good fortune in the year ahead, surrounded by the festival’s serene and joyful atmosphere.
The celebrations culminate with the Spring Lantern Festival, where the city is adorned with thousands of glowing lanterns. A visit to a lantern carnival, often held at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre Piazza, is a magical way to mark the end of the festive season.
Your Sanctuary Amid the Chinese New Year Celebration
Regent Hong Kong has inscribed its legacy into the annals of hospitality as the first and only hotel in Asia to be awarded a perfect 100/100 score by The Most Perfect View Certified Program. This rare distinction crowns Regent as the ultimate address for unrivaled panoramas of Victoria Harbour—a masterpiece of light and skyline framed by the hotel’s artful design and gracious elegance. Here, breathtaking views meet impeccable service, creating an experience that embodies the very essence of Hong Kong sophistication.
Our harbourfront haven offers the luxury of both immersion and escape—a peaceful sanctuary where the city’s joyful Chinese New Year celebration unfolds right outside your window, yet serenity awaits within.
We invite you to welcome the Year of the Horse in unforgettable style and discover the profound joy of a Hong Kong Chinese New Year in 2026.
