As the Mid-Autumn Festival approaches, districts across Shenzhen are lighting up with festive lantern displays. Major parks, shopping districts and historic towns are rolling out limited-time lantern fairs, intangible cultural heritage performances and themed festival activities. With options ranging from free admission and parent-child DIY workshops to traditional shows, Shenzhen is an ideal destination for Hong Kong visitors looking for a short northbound moon-viewing or leisure trip.
Lantern Fairs and Festival Events
Guangming Rainbow Bridge Park: “Full Moon over Rainbow Bridge, Shared Beauty in the Mountains and Waters”
Date: September 25
Highlights: Traditional-style music concert, rabbit lantern DIY workshop, lantern riddles, electronic sky-lantern display and a scenic installation featuring hundreds of lanterns.
Splendid China Folk Village, Nanshan: Mid-Autumn Thousand-Lantern Festival
Admission: Ticketed
Dates: September 25–27
Highlights: A four-metre illuminated moon installation, a parade of thousands of decorative lanterns, and a lotus-lantern blessing ceremony on September 25.
Gankeng Hakka Town, Longgang: Mid-Autumn Garden Festival
Admission: Street area free; scenic attractions ticketed
Dates: September 25–27; lantern festival continues until October 7
Highlights: Traditional molten-iron “iron flower” performances, intangible cultural heritage fire-pot shows and drone displays.
K11 ECOAST: “Moon Rising Over the Sea”
Admission: Free
Dates: September 24–27
Highlights: Intangible cultural heritage fish lanterns, a moonlit dance party, a seaside candlelight concert and Chaozhou-style shadow puppetry, set against a moonlit sea view.
Qianhai HOP World: Mid-Autumn Heritage Programme
Admission: Free
Dates: September 24–25
Highlights: Fish-lantern parade, dough figurine making, bamboo weaving and lantern DIY workshops.
Guangming Farm Grand View Garden Lantern Festival
Admission: Ticketed
Dates: September 25–October 10
Highlights: Celestial-palace lanterns, “heavenly maidens scattering flowers” displays, intangible cultural heritage iron-flower performances and fire-themed puppet theatre.
Holland Flower Town, Nanshan: “Blossoms Under a Full Moon”
Admission: Free
Dates: September 25–October 8
Highlights: Hibiscus lantern corridor, live band performance on September 25 and a large-scale group dance.
Yantian Intangible Cultural Heritage Fish-Lantern Carnival
Admission: Free
Date: September 25
Venue: Yantian District Administrative and Cultural Centre Plaza
Highlights: Hundreds of traditional fish lanterns, flying-palace lantern dance, heritage fire arts and medicinal-firework puppet theatre.
Yitian Holiday Plaza, Luohu: Thousand-Lantern Festival
Admission: Free
Dates: September 25–27
Highlights: Thousands of lantern displays, lantern parades, moon-chasing rolling-lantern dances and a mooncake competition.
Xiangmi Park, Futian
Admission: Free
Date and time: September 25, 5pm–9pm
Highlights: Giant moon and jade-rabbit installations, plus a lantern-lit boardwalk.
Dameisha Dragon Lantern Festival, Yantian
Admission: Free
Dates: September 25–27
Highlights: A 100-metre Moon-Shadow Dragon installation and fish-lantern dance performances.
Huanggang Park, Futian
Admission: Free
Date and time: September 24, 6pm–9:30pm
Highlights: A Mid-Autumn lantern-riddle garden party, with more than 1,000 riddles to solve.
Nantou Ancient City Lantern Festival, Nanshan
Admission: Free
Dates: From September 24
Highlights: A Moonlit Lantern Street running until October 7, while several Chinese-style installations will remain on display until November 22.
Bao’an Tianhong: “A Thousand Lanterns Reflect the Moon” Moon-Worship Ceremony
Admission: Free
Date: September 25
Highlights: Flower-goddess parade, flying-dance performance, moon-worship ceremony, thousand-lantern wishing activity and Chinese-style fashion show.
Grand Traditional Costume Parade
Admission: Free
Date and time: September 25, 3pm–5pm
Venue: Longhua No. 8 Warehouse
Highlights: A hundred-person Hanfu parade and an intangible cultural heritage fish-lantern procession.
Recommended Itineraries
Route A: East Shenzhen Day Trip
Yantian + Dameisha + Luohu: Fish lanterns, seaside lights and night markets
Start in the afternoon at Yantian District Administrative and Cultural Centre Plaza for the Intangible Cultural Heritage Fish-Lantern Carnival on September 25.
In the early evening, head to Dameisha for the Dragon Lantern Festival. Visitors can admire the lantern installations by the sea while watching the sunseset.
At night, return to Luohu and visit the Thousand-Lantern Festival at Yitian Holiday Plaza for more photo opportunities.
This route is ideal for visitors who want to combine sea views with traditional fish-lantern performances. It is also convenient for those staying in Luohu or returning to Hong Kong through nearby border checkpoints.
Route B: West Shenzhen Day Trip
Nanshan + Qianhai: Historic streets, shopping and waterfront moon-viewing
Start in the afternoon at Nantou Ancient City, where the Moonlit Lantern Street offers a festive backdrop for exploring and taking photos in the historic district.
In the early evening, continue to Qianhai HOP World for the fish-lantern parade and hands-on DIY activities.
At night, finish at K11 ECOAST with a seaside candlelight concert and moon-viewing over the water.
This route is best for visitors who enjoy shopping, relaxed sightseeing and photography. With direct metro access and a slower pace, it is particularly suitable for a casual evening out.
Useful Tips
For navigation, search the venue name directly in a map app. Check the Shenzhen Metro app for real-time train information. Shenzhen Metro’s final trains generally depart at around 11pm, so travellers returning to Hong Kong should also check the last services for border-crossing metro routes and cross-boundary buses.
Arrive early for free events, as holiday crowds are expected.
Iron-flower performances and drone shows are often scheduled only at specific time slots in the evening. Check the day’s confirmed programme before travelling.
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