Hong Kong Cancels New Year Fireworks After Deadly November Fire

Hong Kong will ring in 2026 without its traditional New Year fireworks over Victoria Harbor. This marks a rare pause in the city’s vibrant celebrations, following a tragic fire in November that claimed at least 161 lives.

Instead of the usual spectacular pyrotechnics, the Hong Kong Tourism Board will host a music event on New Year’s Eve in Central. The program features performances by soft rock duo Air Supply and other artists. At midnight, the facades of eight prominent landmarks will transform into giant countdown clocks accompanied by a three-minute light show.

Fireworks have long been a key feature of Hong Kong’s celebrations, including the New Year, Lunar New Year, and National Day. These dazzling displays usually draw hundreds of thousands of locals and tourists who gather along the harbor promenade to witness the colorful explosions set against the iconic city skyline.

Rosanna Law, Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, acknowledged that the absence of fireworks would impact hotel and restaurant businesses, which rely heavily on holiday tourism.

The decision follows the city’s deadliest fire since 1948, which occurred at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po district. The fire rapidly spread through an apartment complex undergoing renovations, exacerbated by substandard bamboo scaffolding, green netting, and foam boards on windows. Thousands displaced residents now live in temporary housing, struggling to recover from the devastating loss.

Hong Kong has previously canceled fireworks after other tragedies, such as the 2012 vessel collision that killed 39 people, the 2018 bus crash, as well as during the 2019 protests and the COVID-19 pandemic.

Historically, fireworks originated in China, with bamboo stalks creating loud explosions when thrown into fire, dating back to the second century B.C. The Tang dynasty monk Li Tian is credited with inventing the first documented firecracker by filling hollow bamboo with gunpowder to ward off evil spirits during celebrations.