Hong Kong to mark this year’s Mid-Autumn Festival with first-ever seasonal drone show

Hong Kong will mark this year’s Mid-Autumn Festival with the city’s first seasonal drone show that will include holiday motifs such as mooncakes and rabbits, as part of three days of events to boost tourism over the traditional break.

The show will take place along Wan Chai’s waterfront on September 17 and involve thousands of drones, while the Tai Hang Fire Dragon Dance is set for between September 16 and 18, with an extended route and live broadcasts at Victoria Park to help reach a larger audience.

“This year’s extravaganza showcases a harmonious blend of modernity and tradition,” a Tourism Board spokesman said, adding the events line-up “surpassed those of previous years”.

Imagery for the drone show would also include lanterns and a fire dragon, but viewers would need to head to prime spots along the waterfront if they wanted to see the event as it would not be visible from Kowloon, he said.

For the traditional dragon, a replica of the mythical beast, made from burning incense sticks, would travel down an extended route from Wun Sha Street to Tung Lo Wan Road. The event will also feature a performance by 100 children with another dragon made from 10,000 LED lights.

Other festive activities include rope-skipping and a fluorescent nunchaku show, as well as installations offering photo opportunities. Trams, MTR stations and the Mid-Levels escalators will also get a festive makeover as part of the celebrations.

In a reply to the Post, the board did not disclose how much it was spending on the event or how visitors it hoped to attract.