September Event Roundup - What’s on in Hong Kong

All the world’s a stage this September, with the return of world-class horse racing, stand-up comedy, music festivals, and cultural performances taking place for the Mid-Autumn Festival. Here’s our round up of the best Hong Kong events taking place this month in the Fragrant Harbour.

2019/20 Season Opening at Sha Tin Racecourse

With the summer heat almost behind us, it’s time to kick off the 2019/20 horse racing season at the Sha Tin Racecourse on September 1. The annual opening day includes an auspicious ceremony includes the dotting of the lion’s eyes, and the striking of the lucky gong in the parade ring. (If what you’re really looking forward to is getting back to the Beer Garden at Happy Valley Racecourse, you’ll unfortunately have to wait until September 11, when the races officially kick-off and the infamous Happy Wednesdays return.)

Date: September 1
Venue: Sha Tin Racecourse
Tickets: Purchased at the gate
Web: https://campaigns.hkjc.com/season-opening

Tai Hang Fire Dragon Dance

A uniquely local Hong Kong festival, the Tai Hang Fire Dragon Dance is an incredible spectacle that takes place during the Mid-Autumn Festival, in the village of Tai Hang, Causeway Bay. A massive 67-metre rattan dragon, covered with hundreds of sticks of incense, is carried through the streets, along with drumming, music and revelry. Visitors are welcome to watch and follow the fire dragon through the streets, and the event is free.

Pok Fu Lam Village Fire Dragon Dance

On the night of September 13, you can also catch another fire dragon dance, this time in the village of Pok Fu Lam, western Hong Kong Island. In this ceremony, the fiery dragon ‘dances’ its way down to the sea at Waterfall Bay, and returns to its home in the water. This event is not as big or well known as the Tai Hang Fire Dance, and is a great chance to see a truly local cultural event.

Date: September 13
Venue: Pok Fu Lam Village
Tickets: Free

Mid-Autumn Festival

September is all about the Mid-Autumn Festival, also known as the ‘moon festival’. During this time, you’ll no doubt notice the shops and streets are full of brightly coloured lanterns, and lots of mooncakes on sale. The grandest lantern carnival takes place on the evening of 13 September, at Victoria Park in Causeway Bay. With massive lantern displays, traditional dances and songs, plus lion and dragon dances, this is a great opportunity to see and experience the moon festival.

Melbourne Comedy Festival

Gear up for a week of side splitting entertainment this September with the return of the Melbourne Comedy Festival Roadshow, as it makes it stop in Hong Kong during its Asia tour.
With a dynamic group of comedians hand picked both from Australia and beyond, this is a fabulous opportunity to see the rising stars from Australia’s biggest comedy festival, performing at the Fringe Club in Central.

Hong Kong International Jazz Festival

The four-day Hong Kong International Jazz Festival is a chance to enjoy some truly world-class jazz performers from Hong Kong, China, Canada, Austria, Denmark, Sweden, South Africa, Taiwan and Japan. If you are on a tight budget, you’ll be pleased to know that the festival kicks off with a free event on September 22 at Olympic Square in Hong Kong Park. The other shows take place at City Hall in Central, with tickets being sold online.