2026 Greater Bay Area Lantern Festival lights up ahead of schedule

The 2026 Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Lantern Festival will open on Feb 10 in Guangzhou's Nansha district, lighting up the iconic Tianhou Palace and Coastal Park for a 90-day celebration.

Building on the success of last year's event, which attracted over 710,000 visitors, this edition expands across 50 hectares with five themed zones, hundreds of large-scale light installations, and thousands of cultural performances.

The rendering of the 2026 Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Lantern Festival. [Photo/WeChat account: nanshafabu]

The festival merges traditional Chinese New Year symbolism with futuristic technology. Highlights include AI-powered displays, holographic ecosystems, and interactive zones co-designed by youths from across the region. Alongside dazzling lanterns, visitors can enjoy drone shows, live concerts, and festive markets, strengthening cultural and economic ties within the Greater Bay Area.

As a key event in Guangzhou's Spring Festival celebrations, the lantern festival also supports regional tourism through partnerships with local hotels, restaurants, and transport networks, offering discounts and extended services to enhance visitor experiences.