Hong Kong is set to embrace the Lunar New Year spirit with the grand opening of 14 major Lunar New Year Fairs (Fa Shi) across the territory on Wednesday, February 11, 2026. These seven-day festive markets, essential to Hong Kong’s New Year traditions, will operate until the early morning of Lunar New Year Day (February 17), offering residents and visitors a comprehensive experience spanning traditional wet goods like auspicious flowers and plants, assorted dry goods for holiday preparations, and popular quick service food stalls. The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) is coordinating the events, ensuring wide accessibility and managing crowd flow across Hong Kong Island, Kowloon, the New Territories, and the Outlying Islands.
The City Prepares for Peak Festive Foot Traffic
The annual fairs are a central pillar of pre-Lunar New Year preparations, allowing citizens to purchase necessary items, including fresh blossoms symbolizing good fortune, and soak in the vibrant, communal atmosphere. The flagship venue remains Victoria Park in Causeway Bay, hosting the largest fair with over 400 total stalls, featuring 180 wet goods berths, 216 dry goods spots, and 4 quick service food outlets, making it a hotspot for both shopping and street food sampling.
The scale of the fairs reflects the city’s deep connection to this holiday. Beyond Victoria Park, the markets are strategically distributed to serve communities across all districts. Kowloon boasts key locations, notably the Fa Hui Park in Sham Shui Po, a regional hub known for its proximity to the traditional flower market and its six designated quick service food stalls. Meanwhile, the New Territories features the second-largest fair overall at the Yuen Long Tung Tau Industrial Area Temporary Leisure Ground, which includes 158 stalls, with 96 dedicated to wet goods, catering to the region’s high demand for decorative flora.
To enhance visitor experience and safety during peak periods, the FEHD will implement a real-time crowd management system. This system utilizes a traffic light display (Green, Yellow, Red) on the department’s website: Green signals low human traffic, Yellow indicates slight congestion, and Red signifies severely crowded conditions. This live data is crucial for residents planning their visits, particularly during the final hours leading up to the New Year. Visitors should note that entry will halt 15 minutes before the daily closing time to ensure smooth operations.
Navigating Hong Kong’s Festive Markets
The 14 fairs serve as valuable local gathering points, ensuring that the necessary festive purchases are within reach for all residents. Key markets across the regions include:
- Hong Kong Island: Victoria Park, Causeway Bay (Closest MTR: Causeway Bay E Exit / Tin Hau A2 Exit).
- Kowloon: Fa Hui Park, Sham Shui Po (Closest MTR: Prince Edward A Exit / Mong Kok East D Exit), and Kwun Tong Recreation Ground (Closest MTR: Kwun Tong A1 Exit / Ngau Tau Kok A Exit).
- New Territories (Largest): Yuen Long Tung Tau Industrial Area Temporary Leisure Ground (Closest MTR: Long Ping E Exit), and Tsuen Wan Sha Tsui Road Playground (Closest MTR: Tsuen Wan D Exit).
- Outlying Islands: Tung Chung Tat Tung Road Garden (Closest MTR: Tung Chung B Exit).
Each market has slightly adjusted operating times, with most extending their hours late into the night and maintaining continuous operation through the final hours of February 16 before closing at 7:00 AM on February 17.
For those considering cross-border excursions, the Shenzhen region will also host its own vibrant Ying Chun Flower Fairs starting February 10, utilizing the “11+N” model. Noteworthy Shenzhen fairs include the traditional celebration in Luohu’s Aiguo Road and technologically advanced displays in Futian and Guangming, offering an alternative festive experience for shoppers.
The 2026 Lunar New Year Fairs underscore Hong Kong’s commitment to preserving cultural heritage while accommodating modern consumer needs, providing a centralized and accessible platform for the annual ritual of fa shi shopping, a symbolic way to attract prosperity and fortune in the coming year. Shoppers are advised to utilize the FEHD’s crowd monitoring tool to optimize their visit times.