National Day

Hong Kong’s National Day is observed on 1 October each year to commemorate the founding of the People’s Republic of China in 1949. The date became a public holiday in Hong Kong after the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region on 1 July 1997, reflecting the territory’s constitutional status within China. In 2026, Hong Kong will mark the 77th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China.

National Day is distinct from Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Establishment Day, which is celebrated on 1 July. Together with the Mid-Autumn Festival period and other autumn holidays, 1 October forms part of one of Hong Kong’s busiest annual festive seasons. The occasion combines official ceremonies and displays of national identity with the city’s distinctive urban culture, tourism, retail, and family-oriented entertainment.

The best-known Hong Kong observance is the National Day flag-raising ceremony, traditionally held at Golden Bauhinia Square outside the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre in Wan Chai. Senior officials, uniformed groups, invited guests, and members of the public may attend, while the ceremony is also broadcast or reported widely. It normally includes the raising of the national and regional flags, the singing of the national anthem, and formal speeches or commemorative programs. A large evening fireworks display over Victoria Harbour is another familiar tradition, although its scheduling and format may vary from year to year.

Families and visitors commonly watch the fireworks from the harbourfront, waterfront promenades, public viewing areas, or restaurants with harbour views. Shopping centers and cultural venues often organize themed exhibitions, concerts, light displays, and patriotic educational activities, while many residents take advantage of the public holiday for meals, shopping, short excursions, and family gatherings. Festive menus may include Cantonese specialties, dim sum, seafood, roast meats, mooncakes when the date falls near the Mid-Autumn Festival, and seasonal desserts. Common greetings include “Happy National Day,” “Happy National Day of the People’s Republic of China,” and in Chinese, “國慶快樂” (Gwok Hing Fai Lok), meaning “Happy National Day.”