Hong Kong is set to embrace the Year of the Horse with the grand opening of 14 Lunar New Year Fairs across the territory, scheduled to launch on Wednesday, February 11, 2026. These vibrant, week-long events, culminating in the early hours of Lunar New Year’s Day, February 17, are essential components of the city’s festive celebrations, offering everything from traditional seasonal flowers and plants (wet goods) to innovative merchandise (dry goods) and popular local street food. The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) is coordinating the extensive network of markets, with the iconic Victoria Park serving as the flagship location, ensuring residents and visitors alike can easily join in the cherished tradition of preparing for the Spring Festival.
Victoria Park Leads Citywide Festive Bazaar
The largest and most highly anticipated fair remains the Victoria Park Lunar New Year Fair in Causeway Bay. Boasting over 400 stalls, the fair is a major hub for festive shopping, featuring roughly 180 wet goods stalls for floral purchases, 216 dry goods vendors selling novelties and gifts, and four dedicated fast-food stalls. Given its immense popularity, Victoria Park often becomes the starting point for emerging trends in New Year merchandise and street snacks.
The 14 fairs are strategically spread across Hong Kong Island, Kowloon, the New Territories, and the Outlying Islands to ensure accessibility for every district. In the New Territories, the fair at Yuen Long Tung Tau Industrial Area Playground stands out as the second-largest overall, housing 158 stalls, cementing its role as a key destination for New Territories residents seeking auspicious plants and gifts.
Navigating the 2026 Lunar New Year Fairs
The operational structure for most fairs will see slightly restricted hours during the initial days, gradually extending into the festive period toward the end of the week. Most large fairs will open daily at 8:00 AM, with closing times shifted to midnight or 1:00 AM, culminating in the closure at 7:00 AM on February 17. Visitors are advised that entrance will cease 15 minutes before the daily closing time.
To enhance the visitor experience and manage crowds effectively, the FEHD maintains a real-time monitoring system indicating the density of each venue. This Red, Yellow, Green light system, accessible via the FEHD website, provides crucial information for planning visits:
- Green: Indicates low crowd levels.
- Yellow: Indicates slightly crowded conditions.
- Red: Signals that the venue is highly congested.
This public service aims to mitigate overcrowding, allowing patrons to choose optimal visiting times.
Key Fair Locations Across Kowloon and New Territories
Beyond Victoria Park, Kowloon plays host to several significant markets, including the Fa Hui Park Lunar New Year Fair in Sham Shui Po, renowned for its proximity to the traditional flower market and setting aside six stalls for fast food. Other Kowloon highlights include fairs at Kwun Tong Recreation Ground, Cheung Sha Wan Playground, and the smaller but locally important To Kwa Wan Recreation Ground.
The New Territories provides a wealth of options for local shoppers:
- Sha Tin Yuen Wo Playground offers 75 stalls, accessible from Sha Tin MTR station.
- The Tsuen Wan Sha Tsui Road Playground fair is another large-scale market, featuring 116 booths.
- For the northern districts, the Shek Wu Hui Playground in North District and the Tai Po Tin Hau Temple Feng Shui Square fair serve thousands of residents.
Even the Outlying Islands are included, with a dedicated, although smaller, fair established at the Tung Chung Tat Tung Road Garden, catering specifically to island residents.
The diverse spatial layout and variety of offerings—from traditional citrus trees and orchids to novelty items and popular snacks spread across 14 locations—underscore the significance of the fairs as a cornerstone of Hong Kong’s Lunar New Year preparations, allowing local communities to immerse themselves in the deep cultural atmosphere before the New Year rings in.