The best things to do in Hong Kong today

Back by popular demand, the lantern display at Wan Chai’s beloved Blue House returns from now until October 14. Featuring over 700 lanterns hand-painted by residents, neighbours, and local illustrators, the display stretches across Stone Nullah Lane, Kat On Street, Hing Wan Street, King Sing Street, and Queen’s Road East, turning the old tong lau and street corners into a brilliant community showcase. The lanterns light up every evening from 6pm to 9.30pm. 

Victoria Park will host the city’s first-ever International Lantern Spectacular from September 17 to 27, combining local Mid-Autumn traditions with illuminated art from around the globe. The event features over 3,000 lanterns from 20 countries along the World Lantern Boulevard, four giant Qinhuai lantern installations crafted by artisans from Nanjing, and more than 400 traditional Hong Kong handcrafted pieces at the Hill Knoll Pavilion. Visitors between September 17 and 20 can also buy regional mooncakes from charity stalls at the South Pavilion Plaza, with all proceeds donated to Po Leung Kuk. The lanterns light up nightly from 6.30pm to 11pm, with hours extended to 12am on September 25. Admission is completely free.

Every year during the Mid-Autumn Festival, the Leisure and Cultural Services Department sets up numerous lantern decorations across the city. This year, the displays will light up from 6.30pm to 11pm at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre Piazza (Sept 6-Oct 11) and Victoria Park (Sept 17-27). Over at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre is the ‘Moonlit Bunny Crew’, a colourful, geometric display of Hong Kong’s iconic attractions created by local creative team Stickyline. Alongside the International Lantern Spectacular at Victoria Park, there is also a series of lanterns themed around the city’s unique food culture and everyday life. A Mid-Autumn Creative Market will also take place on Saturdays and Sundays during the event period.

Sik Sik Yuen Wong Tai Sin Temple is celebrating the Mid-Autumn Festival with large themed lantern displays across its grounds and Wong Tai Sin Temple Square, turning the area into a luminous playground to mark its 105th anniversary. Visitors can spot 106 birthday sheep lanterns and a tribute to Hong Kong’s first female astronaut, while evening guests arriving after 6pm can collect a complimentary glowing gift. The 18-day celebration also features DIY lantern-making workshops, riddle-solving games, stargazing sessions, free ice cream pop-ups, and a glowing dragon parade in front of the Main Altar. The lantern festival runs from September 17 to October 4, open until 9pm on weekdays and 10pm on weekends and public holidays, with extended hours to 11pm on September 25 for Mid-Autumn night.

Lee Tung Avenue has transformed its 200-metre pedestrian walkway into a sea of light for its Moon Fest Lumiere, hanging more than 800 traditional lanterns overhead. This year’s display combines the art of paper-cutting with modern light design, featuring custom palace lanterns with silhouettes that illustrate timeless folklore tales, family reunions, lantern-making, and more. Beyond the canopy, visitors can explore a pop-up store from Hang Heung Bakery, a weekend market, and enjoy a Mid-Autumn concert on Sept 26 (2pm-6pm). The signature LED Fire Dragon Fiesta will also make its grand return on September 25 at 8.30pm, so mark your calendar!

Update, August 25: Marrow has extended its run due to immense popularity. Meat lovers can now enjoy their open-fire seafood and meat dishes until September 30. Click here for details, including brand-new dishes. Landing in Wan Chai for a two-month run from July 1 to August 31, Marrow is a sleek, meat-led pop-up restaurant offering an unconventional take on open-fire cooking. Curated by chef Chris Ma, the concept moves away from traditional steakhouses to highlight lesser-known cuts with distinct local and regional flavours. Alongside a selection of fire-cooked mains, diners can enjoy a playful menu of creative starters, seafood options, and nostalgic desserts. The restaurant is open daily for dinner only, and with a short summer residency, booking ahead is highly recommended.

Celebrate the life and legacy of Hong Kong icon Leslie Cheung at the Hong Kong Heritage Museum’s retrospective exhibition, ‘Miss You Much · Leslie 70th Birthday · Exhibition’. Featuring over 300 curated items – including private collections loaned by Daffy Tong and Florence Chan – the display highlights 11 iconic stage costumes from his concert tours, never-before-seen items such as personal furniture and rare photos, along with an intimate recreation of his former home designed by his original interior designer. Visitors can also catch free screenings of six classic films, including A Better Tomorrow and Rouge, as well as a special screening of Cheung’s ‘Live in Concert 97’ towards the end of the year. Admission is completely free, with first-come, first-served film tickets distributed at noon on screening days.

Discover the history, art, and cultural impact of gaming at CityUHK’s new interactive exhibition, The Power of Play. This hands-on showcase spans 5,000 years of gaming history, tracking the evolution of human play from ancient Egyptian board games and nostalgic 1980s arcades to immersive virtual reality experiences, modern esports, and collaborative robotics. Curated by professor Espen Aarseth, the exhibition offers a fascinating look at how society’s attitude toward gaming has shifted from a casual amusement to a global competitive phenomenon.  The Power of Play runs from July 4 to October 25 at the Indra and Harry Banga Gallery (18th floor of the Lau Ming Wai Academic Building at CityUHK). Doors are open from 11am to 7pm from Tuesday to Sunday. Entry won't cost you a penny, though you’ll need to register online before turning up.

Tai Kwun pays tribute to the social value of camaraderie and having brothers-in-arms with its newest summer exhibition ‘Better Together – Partnering Up for Hong Kong Movies’, which celebrates the ethos of paak zyu soeng (拍住上) – a Cantonese phrase for team spirit which evokes the image of partnering up with arms around shoulders – as seen in several decades of filmmaking since the 60s. Among the immersive recreations of iconic scenes from eight films and sequels, visitors can expect to walk through the famous upside-down heist scene from Once a Thief starring Chow Yun-fat; contrast two robotic figures from Aces Go Places 2 and Gen-Y Cops; and an iconic stunt action sequence involving a helicopter, motorbike, and gold bars from Police Story 3 – Super Cop. A must-visit for any Hong Kong film buff.

Running from June 27, 2026, to January 10, 2027, at M+, this highly anticipated interactive exhibition brings the viral Japanese showcase to Hong Kong with a unique local twist. Adapted from the hugely popular ‘Design Ah! neo’ exhibition, the family-friendly event features 21 playful stations themed around 10 ordinary daily actions like eating, walking, and sitting. From giant installations and interactive challenges to an immersive rhythm game, this creative exhibition shines a completely new light on the seemingly mundane routines and objects we often overlook. It's well worth a visit, so pencil it into your calendar!