The upcoming Chinese New Year falls on 25 January 2020, marking the beginning of the Year of the Rat. Celebrations in Hong Kong are spread over three days, but pre-New Year activities begin long before the first firework goes off. This ancient festival also gets a makeover that is uniquely Hong Kong. Visitors will experience a Chinese New Year like no other, with a fabulous parade of floats, international and local performers and a stunning firework show over the harbour.
Flower markets sprout up all over Hong Kong on the week preceding the New Year holiday. Travellers looking for the biggest (and most complete) market should venture over to Victoria Park in Causeway Bay, while those nearer Kowloon should head to Mongkok’s Fa Hui Park.
The 2020 Chinese New Year Parade which was scheduled for 25 January at 8pm has been cancelled due to the ongoing situation. Instead, a four-day carnival from 25 to 28 January will take place in the city at an unconfirmed location and will be one of the landmark celebrations to welcome the new year. The high calibre of dazzling performances by local and international performers that used to take place during the parade will now be staged during the carnival.
This year’s Year of the Rat Fireworks celebration will be held on 26 January at 8:00 pm and last for approximately 20 minutes. There is no admission charge and guests can watch all along the waterfront or from anywhere in sight of the Victoria Harbour skies. One of Destination Asia’s favourite free spots to watch is from the Tsim Sha Tsui side with Victoria Peak and the Central Skyline in the background, where visitors can watch all along the promenade and the Avenue of the Stars, from the Star Ferry Terminal to the New World Centre in the East.
