Considered the focal point of the city’s celebrations, the Chinese New Year parade in Hong Kong is truly spectacular. Winding through the streets of Hong Kong, the parade is a cavalcade of color and noise, packed with both home-grown floats and those from abroad. Seemingly half of Hong Kong turns out onto the streets for the Chinese New Year parade and the energy and enthusiasm of the parade is matched by the crowd.
When: 26th January, 8-9:30pm
Entrance: $180 - $400 spectator seating at Hong Kong Cultural Centre, free along route
We have heard reports of touts dressing up as stewards and attempting to charge tourists for watching from the parade route. There is no charge for watching the parade, anywhere along the parade route, except in seated areas, such as in Hong Kong Cultural Centre.
Route
While previously in Central, the parade upped sticks and moved to the Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront in 2007. The new location lacks some of the atmosphere of Central, however Tsim Sha Tsui is far more practical, offering bags of space for the endless crowds, as well as the ideal backdrop of the Central cityscape.Start – Hong Kong Cultural Centre Plaza along Sailsbury Road followed by Mody Road, before taking a U Turn and finishing at the New World Centre.
First Day of Lunar New Year – January 26th The biggest event of the New Year, famed worldwide, will be the Chinese New Year Night Parade in Tsim Sha Tsui. A procession of imaginatively decorated floats will parade down the streets, with entrants coming from all over the world. Expect drums, dragons and plenty of drama. The parade starts at 8pm and continues until around 9:30pm and will wind through the streets of Tsim Sha Tsui before hitting the parade ground.The parade starts from Hong Kong Cultural Centre and proceeds from Salisbury Road along Mody Road taking a U Turn and ending up at the New World Centre. To view the parade, pick a spot on the street for free, or buy tickets for the grandstand in advance. See our profile of Hong Kong's Chinese New Year parade for full information, including where to watch and other top tips. For a blow by blow of the parade route see the Hong Kong Tourism Board map.Floats
2008 sees the usual buffet selection of nearly 40 floats, from eleven different countries. The floats listed below are some of those worth keeping an eye out for.Hong Kong Disneyland, Hong Kong Ocean Park, Hong Kong Tourism Board, Hong Kong Jockey Club, Frances Futuristic Ostriches, Australia’s Itchy Feet Pep Band, San Francisco 49ers Cheerleaders, Hong Kong Police Band.
Tips
- Arriving about two hours to an hour before the parade gets underway, depending on the area, should allow you to get near the front of the crowd. Arrive within the hour and you’re likely to be standing in a crowd up to four deep.
- While you could enjoy the parade from a seat at the parade ground, where the parade finishes, the best way to feel the energy of the parade is from the bustling streets that line the route.
- If you’re feeling faint or ill, contact one of the police officers who line the route, they generally speak English and are almost universally helpful.
