Buddha’s Birthday 2026: Celebrations Across Hong Kong

Description

According to legend, on the eighth day of the fourth lunar month, nine dragons sprayed water to bathe the newly born baby Buddha. This year, the date of Buddha’s Birthday falls on Sunday 24 May and, while the public holiday rolls over to Monday 25 May, the annual celebration also known as Buddha Bathing Festival will be commemorated in meaningful displays across Hong Kong. Watch as devotees gather to bathe Buddha statues at temples all over the city, with one of the most popular ceremonies held at Po Lin Monastery on Lantau Island — home of the big Tian Tan Buddha. Elsewhere, from 23 to 25 May, the Hong Kong Buddhist Association will host a three-day Buddha’s Birthday celebration, complete with ceremonies, services and talks on the Dharma, at Hong Kong Coliseum. 

For a more accessible, family-friendly day out, the 2026 Buddha’s Birthday Carnival at Victoria Park on 24 May includes a range of family-friendly entertainment, culture and culinary offerings: make wishes by striking a bell, enjoy vegetarian food, catch a tea ceremony and read at Cloud and Water Mobile Library — all designed to promote a conjured sense of inner peace.