Skip to main content
HolidayList
🎉 festival

Hong Kong Arts Festival

Friday, February 27, 2026

— days to go

The Hong Kong Arts Festival is one of Asia's premier international arts festivals, held annually from February to March for approximately one month. Inaugurated in 1973, the festival was established to enrich Hong Kong's cultural life and position the city as a cultural hub in Asia. The festival presents a diverse program spanning classical and contemporary music, opera, theater, dance, and visual arts, featuring both internationally renowned artists and local Hong Kong performers. The festival has hosted world premieres and exclusive performances by leading companies including the Royal Shakespeare Company, the Mariinsky Ballet, the Berlin Philharmonic, and the New York Philharmonic. Beyond its main program, the festival operates extensive education and outreach initiatives, bringing arts experiences to schools and community organizations across Hong Kong. The Hong Kong Arts Festival Society, an independent non-profit organization, has managed the festival since its founding, with funding from the Hong Kong government, the Hong Kong Jockey Club, and corporate sponsors.

History

The Hong Kong Arts Festival was founded in 1973 by the Hong Kong Arts Festival Society, established by a group of cultural leaders with support from the Hong Kong government. The inaugural festival ran from February 18 to March 18, 1973, featuring the London Symphony Orchestra, the Royal Ballet, and the Peking Opera. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, the festival grew steadily, surviving economic downturns and political transitions. The 1990s saw expansion into new venues including the Hong Kong Cultural Centre, which opened in 1989. Following Hong Kong's handover to China in 1997, the festival played a key role in maintaining Hong Kong's international cultural connections. In 2002, the festival launched its 'Festival Plus' community outreach program. The festival adapted to digital streaming during the COVID-19 pandemic, reaching global audiences.

How It's Celebrated

The Hong Kong Arts Festival presents hundreds of performances across major venues including the Hong Kong Cultural Centre, the Hong Kong City Hall, the Kwai Tsing Theatre, and the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts. The program includes orchestral concerts, opera productions, ballet and contemporary dance performances, theater from around the world, and jazz and world music. The festival's 'Festival Plus' series offers free outdoor performances, artist talks, masterclasses, and backstage tours. The 'Young Friends' program engages students and young audiences through discounted tickets and special events. Each year's festival includes commissioned works and co-productions that premiere in Hong Kong, alongside touring productions from leading international companies and artists.

Other Years

2021 Sat
27 Feb
2022 Sun
27 Feb
2023 Mon
27 Feb
2024 Tue
2/27
2025 Thu
2/27
2027 Sat
2/27
2028 Sun
2/27
2029 Tue
27 Feb

Countries

🇭🇰 HK

You Might Also Like

View all →
📅 holiday Apr 5

Ching Ming Festival

Ching Ming Festival is one of China’s largest events based off of the lunar calendar. Ching Ming officially starts 104 days after the winter solstice. The festival usually begins on April 4th or 5th, but activities may start as early as 10 days prior. In English, Ching Ming is often referred to as Tomb Sweeping Day or Pure Brightness because of the holiday’s events. The primary role of the Ching Ming Festival is to pay respect to ancestors. While many Chinese holidays are oriented around ancestor worship, Ching Ming is the largest. Filial piety is a central aspect of traditional Chinese culture, so it should come as no surprise that this is one of the most widely celebrated holidays in the Middle Kingdom. Nearly every ethnic group in China celebrates Ching Ming in one way or another. Ching Ming is also a celebration of spring because of the incoming planting season in most of China. According to Chinese stories and folklore, the Ching Ming Festival got its start sometime between 700 and 500 BCE. Legend states that a man named Jie Zitui, a loyal servant of a Chinese lord, helped his lord survive through exile. In order to prevent his lord from starving to death, Jie cut meat from his own leg and fed it to his lord. Surviving this ordeal, the lord returned to power 19 years later. By this time, the lord had forgotten about Jie’s service. Sometime later, the lord remembered Jie and felt regretful about forgetting. The lord intended to reward Jie, but by the time he found him, Jie had passed away. To honor the life and death of Jie, the lord established Ching Ming as a holiday to commemorate the dead. During the Ching Ming Festival, there are various customs and traditions that people take part in. One of the most enjoyed festival activities is kite flying. During the day, people fly kites of various colors to celebrate spring. People also celebrate the holiday with kites in the evening, but small lanterns are attached. When hundreds of kites are in the air, the Chinese sky looks like it is filled with many stars. The kites are symbolic of good fortune, but according to legend, they are also said to be able to cure and prevent diseases. In accordance with the Ching Ming Festival’s tradition of ancestor worship, an activity known as tomb sweeping is an important part of the festival day or the 10 days leading up to it. The purpose of this activity is to clean and beautify the graves or urns of ancestors. Weeds will removed from grave plots and fresh dirt will be brought to the surface. In many cases, people will also offer their ancestors their favorite food and wine as tribute. Incense and flowers may also be brought as a show of respect. There are many varieties of flowers that can be used during this holiday, but peach blossom and chrysanthemum flowers are among the most popular. In cities, the process of honoring the dead is not as elaborate due to the practice of cremation in place of traditional burials. In all cases, good prayers are said for ancestors and deceased relatives. After paying respects to ancestors, many Chinese take part in a spring outing, or taqing (踏青), to enjoy the warm weather and company of friends. The first spring outing occurred during the Tang Dynasty and it has become a time of celebration ever since. In order to get exercise and experience nature, many Chinese people will go on a trip to a city center or natural area. Popular activities include seeing gardens, walking through parks with family members, hiking through natural areas, and participating in sports. The spring outing is meant to promote happiness and good health habits after commemorating ancestors. As with most great festivals, Ching Ming offers a wide selection of special cuisine to celebrate happiness. One of the favorite dishes of Ching Ming is sazi (撒子). Sazi is fried wheat or rice flour that has been bound with eggs, onion, sesame, or other ingredients. The exact recipe for sazi depends on region and the chef. This is a salty or savory food that is enjoyed throughout China. Snails that have been seasoned with onion and salt are also a favorite dish during the Ching Ming Festival. To specifically celebrate the spring outing and warm months, Chinese people also enjoy qingtuan (青团), or green dumplings. These dumplings resemble green apples and are made of rice powder, green vegetable juice, and sweetened bean paste. Qingtuan have a sweet taste and are green. Some Chinese chefs also create their own unique variations of this dish.

CN MO HK
📅 holiday Apr 6

Easter Monday

Easter is regarded as the most important holy day by Christians, and in Réunion it is celebrated with a holiday on Easter Monday. The date of the holiday changes each year based on the centuries-old calculations that determine the Christian Ecclesiastical Calendar, such that the date of Easter Sunday can be anytime between 22 March and 25 April. Réunion, as an overseas department of France, celebrates mostly the same holidays as does mainland France, including Easter Monday. Also, the majority of the population is Christian and would want to observe Easter anyway. Réunion is a major destination for tourists, including during Easter Week, and the locals are quick to be festive this time of year too. Easter egg painting and egg hunts, midnight masses, large family feasts, and plenty of boisterous parties mark the season. Many take the opportunity around Eastertime to hike up to the rim of the island’s active volcano, Piton de la Fournaise. Others go mountain biking, visit the beach, go whale or dolphin watching, or see the abundant and diverse sea life at the Réunion Aquarium.

RE SK CZ +93
📅 holiday Apr 3

Good Friday

Easter is regarded as the most important of holy days by Christians, and in Tonga it is celebrated with two holidays on Good Friday and Easter Monday. The date of the holiday changes each year based on the centuries-old calculations that determine the Christian Ecclesiastical Calendar, such that the date of Easter Sunday can be anytime between 22 March and 25 April. Easter is a festive, but somewhat low-key time of year in Tonga. People are off work and out of school for a while, and they are glad to catch up with family and friends. The large majority of the population in Tonga follows Christianity, though there is a very diverse mix of denominations. Many will attend a special church service and program for Palm Sunday, Good Friday, late on Holy Saturday, or early on Easter Sunday. Most people use Easter Monday as a time to relax and prepare to get back into their ordinary routine next day. It isn’t surprising that Tonga’s sunny, sandy beaches and crystal-blue waters are crowded on Easter Weekend. But less obvious activities many engage in include picnics and sports.

TO SB TC +98
📅 holiday May 1

Labour Day

Labour Day is a major public holiday in Macau, as well as mainland China. The holiday is also called May Day or Workers Day. In 2027, Labour Day falls on Saturday 1 May. The holiday will be on Monday 1 May in 2028. Labour Day on 1 May is an off-work day for those in Macau and mainland China, and it’s a huge tourist day in Macau. As many as 500,000 or more visitors flood into Macau every Labour Day, especially for the years when the holiday creates a long weekend. The gambling industry is the main cause of the tourist surge, as Macau is a gaming centre in the region. The casinos are packed, hotels are sold out, and the streets are crowded with tourists. In addition to being a day of recreation, Labour Day traditionally seeks to draw attention to the contributions and rights of workers to the economy.

MO LA MC +116