Hungry Ghost Festival

The Hungry Ghost Festival (also known as Zhongyuan Festival or Yulan Festival) is a special celebration for the Chinese diaspora, observed with unique interpretations worldwide in places like Hong Kong, Singapore, and beyond. Marking the fifteenth day of the seventh lunar month, this festival signifies a time when the boundary between the living and spiritual realms blurs. It is a day when the most hungry and angry ghosts come to the human realms to seek solace–and yes, it can be scary. Rituals surrounding the Hungry Ghost Festival would seek to distract, exonerate, or calm these restless spirits. There would be foods, performances, and other offerings to the spirit world, and in turn, it can be a healing way to combat both our seen and unseen grievances and rage.

Theme: Downpour, Uproar!

For the 2nd Annual Hungry Ghost Festival in 2024, we will embrace the theme, “Downpour, Uproar!”, chasing the emotions and catharsis of rage and sorrow. The festival will be a rousing celebration with unique performances, a lively procession, and a bustling marketplace. Honoring our ancestors and wandering spirits into the night, we hope that the darker it gets, the bolder or more empowered we feel.

Program Schedule:

4:00PMFestivalKick Off ParadeChinatown - Rose Pak StationGhost King Parade

4:00PM - 9:00PM Activation & Performance Across Chinatown
Portsmouth Square
Stage, Art Activation, Altars, Community Booths, Shopping Challenge Redemption

800 Grant Ave. (Between Clay and Washington)
Art Pop-Ups 

Waverly Place (Between Clay and Washington)
Marketplace (Food and Gifts) 

Chinatown Rose Pak Station
Kids’ Zone