Hong Kong crowds out in force for Mid-Autumn Festival as restaurants get boost

Visitors and locals thronged popular Hong Kong locations carrying lanterns and other light decorations to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival, with a full moon visible in the clear night sky and many restaurants enjoying a 10 per cent rise in revenue compared with last year.

A tourism sector body said on Monday that various activities held across the city would attract visitors, creating a “very ideal” landscape for the industry.

With rail giant the MTR Corporation running some services overnight, revellers were out in force. Many people took snaps of the bright full moon while thousands of spectators enjoyed the second night of the fire dragon dance in Tai Hang.

At Victoria Park in Causeway Bay, a popular location for festival moon-gazing, colourful lanterns featuring characters such as pandas and horses became a selfie hotspot. A bazaar in the park was also well visited.

Banking sector worker Sharon Siu, who is in her thirties, said she attended a family dinner and later planned to head to Victoria Park with her friends to show off her lantern, which had a traditional rabbit design.

“I feel embarrassed carrying the lantern on the street. Victoria Park is a more suitable venue,” she said.

Siu said she might have a drink with friends after her stroll as trains were running overnight and she did not need to work on Tuesday, a public holiday.