The best things to do in Hong Kong this January

Don’t pack away your glamorous New Year’s Eve outfit just yet – there’s more reason to celebrate this January as a new lunar year rolls in. Between world-renowned sporting events, jaw-dropping digital exhibitions and exciting concerts, Chinese New Year is set to round off January in a shower of lai see and colour.

Here are a few of the best events in Hong Kong for your calendar. 

Chinese New Year in Hong Kong

Families across the world come together this month to celebrate, reconnect and welcome the Year of the Snake. In Hong Kong, don red and gold to witness the Cathay International Chinese New Year Night Parade on 29 January, which will start winding through Tsim Sha Tsui from the Hong Kong Cultural Centre at 8pm, with a pre-show performance at 6pm.

Lion dances, lavish banquets and resplendent fireworks will also help kick Chinese New Year off on a good note. Key dates for your diary include the Victoria Harbour fireworks display on 30 January and the adrenaline-pumping horse races at Sha Tin Racecourse on 31 January.

Other things to do in Hong Kong for Chinese New Year include visiting the festive flower market at Victoria Park, where orange trees, peach blossoms and orchids dominate the stalls, or heading to Lam Tsuen’s auspicious wishing trees. 

Notre-Dame de Paris: The Augmented Exhibition

Following the Notre-Dame’s grand reopening last month, French art tech company Visionairs is bringing the restored landmark to Hong Kong. A dedicated space in West Kowloon will be transformed into the Gothic cathedral for Notre-Dame de Paris: The Augmented Exhibition . Blending virtual reality and real artefacts in an immersive experience, the exhibition will explore the history of the 12th century cathedral, its recent restoration and more in an interactive tour for all ages. Runs until 7 March.

Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge Half Marathon 2025 

Grab your trainers and get ready to run: one of Hong Kong’s biggest half marathons is back for another round. The Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge Half Marathon will take place on 5 January, taking 8,000 keen-eyed runners on a 21km race across the ocean. Kicking off early in the morning, the event will see runners of all ages tackling the sweeping Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge Hong Kong Link Road and racing across a portion of the gigantic bridge.

The Bank of China Hong Kong Tennis Open 2025

Some of the best names in men’s tennis will gather at Victoria Park Tennis Stadium for a shot at ATP tour fame. Reigning champion Andrey Rublev will work to defend his title against the likes of Shang Juncheng, Lorenzo Musetti and Hongkonger Coleman Wong in the cobalt-blue centre court. Running from 29 December – 5 January 2025, snap up your tickets quickly for a front row seat to the action.

Kai Tak Sports Park opens 

The new Kai Tak Sports Park has officially thrown open its doors, welcoming spectators to its brand-new 50,000-seat main stadium. While trial basketball and rugby matches took place in the stadium last year, the real stress test will be when the Coldplay concerts and Hong Kong Rugby Sevens are held there later this spring. Besides the stadium, there are other venues including a 10,000-seat indoor sports centre, a 5,000-seat public sports ground and more, open for all to explore.

The Forbidden City and The Palace of Versailles: China-France Cultural Encounters

This winter, the Hong Kong Palace Museum brings together two of the world's most iconic royal exhibits. Sponsored by Cathay, The Forbidden City and The Palace of Versailles features 150 stunning treasures that highlight centuries of mutual admiration. From French-crafted chrysanthemum pottery to a Guangdong-made silver jug that once adorned the court of Louis XIV, this exhibition offers a fascinating glimpse into the rich cultural exchanges between China and France.

“We hope visitors from the world can join us in appreciating and exploring the intricacies this exhibition will bring,” says Laurent Salomé, Director of the National Museum of the Palaces of Versailles and Trianon, France.

The Smeds and The Smoos 

The Gruffalo is hanging up its hat for a new Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler stage adaptation, The Smeds and The Smoos , which will take Hongkongers on a ride to outer space. Imagine a child-friendly intergalactic Romeo and Juliet and you’ll hit on the basic premise of the award-winning book, which will be brought to life as part of ABA Productions’ Hong Kong KidsFest , a month-long arts festival full of theatre productions for the whole family. This show runs from 24 until 26 January.  

Ballet Carnival for Kids

Going to the ballet can be an incredibly captivating experience, no matter your age. The Hong Kong Ballet presents Ballet Carnival for Kids: The Mad Hatter’s Tea Party , an interactive programme of dance that includes excerpts from Septime Webre’s Alice production. Come dressed for the occasion – and you might win a prize. The ballet carnival will run on the 25 and 26 January.

January concerts in Hong Kong

K-pop fans will be out in full force between 18 and 19 January, when Korean boy band Stray Kids take to the stage at AsiaWorld-Expo. They’ll be wrapping up their Dominate world tour in Hong Kong, so it’s set to be a memorable one. Cigarettes After Sex will return to Hong Kong early 2025 as they kickstart their global tour, bringing their signature brand of dream pop and hits like Apocalypse to AsiaWorld-Expo on 9 January.