5 December 2026 – 10 January 2027 · Events
A month of light art across the city, free every evening.
Published 3 October 2026
Light Up Macao is back for its annual run from 5 December 2026 to 10 January 2027, confirmed on the Macao Government Tourism Office's official calendar. The dates are set; the theme and zones for 2026 are not announced yet. Here is what is confirmed, what last year's edition looked like, and when to expect the full programme.
Key facts
- Dates
- 5 December 2026 to 10 January 2027. Confirmed on MGTO's official 2026 event calendar.
- Organiser
- Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO), annual event.
- Admission
- Free, every evening.
- Theme and zones
- Not yet announced for 2026. Expect the programme around late November, based on last year's timing.
- 2025 reference
- "Lightscape · Horizon": 28 installation sets across three districts, 6pm–10pm nightly, plus a 3D projection-mapping show.
- Pairs with
- The Macao International Marathon on 6 December, Christmas and New Year's Eve all fall inside the run.
What is confirmed
The dates are official: 5 December 2026 to 10 January 2027, listed as a Major Event on MGTO's 2026 calendar. It is a free nightly light-art event: installations you walk between after dark, spread across the city. That is the shape of every edition, and it is the shape to plan around.
What we do not know yet
The 2026 theme, the zones and the installation lineup have not been announced. For reference, the 2025 edition was announced at a press conference on 27 November 2025, so a late-November 2026 announcement is the reasonable expectation. The zones in our events calendar (NAPE, Nam Van Lake, Fai Chi Kei and other districts) match the 2025 layout, but treat them as likely rather than confirmed for 2026. This guide will be updated when the programme drops.
What last year looked like
The 2025 edition, themed "Lightscape · Horizon", ran 28 sets of installations across three districts: Nam Van, the Northern District and ZAPE. Creative teams came from Macao, mainland China, Portugal, Korea, Australia and the US. Everything was on from 6pm to 10pm every evening, and there was a 3D projection-mapping show on the Macao Grand Prix Museum facade in ZAPE, running every 15 minutes in the same window. If 2026 follows the pattern, expect an evening stroll with a lot of photo stops, best started after dinner or built around it.
Practical notes
It is a self-guided evening walk, so the main decision is which district to start in. The installations sit in public space, which means no tickets, no queues and no closing-time stress beyond the 10pm lights-out. Pair an evening with dinner in the district you are walking: Nam Van Lake has the waterfront restaurants, and the ZAPE installations sit near the Grand Prix Museum. The run covers Christmas and New Year's Eve, so it doubles as the festive-season backdrop; see the Christmas and New Year guide for the rest of December.
Pair the lights with an evening show:
Questions
When is Light Up Macao 2026?
5 December 2026 to 10 January 2027, confirmed on the Macao Government Tourism Office's official 2026 event calendar. It is organised by MGTO as an annual event.
Is Light Up Macao free?
Yes. The light-art installations are free to visit every evening. Past editions also included a free 3D projection-mapping show.
What time are the Light Up Macao installations on?
The 2026 hours are not yet announced. In 2025 the installations ran from 6pm to 10pm every evening across the districts, with the projection-mapping show every 15 minutes in the same window.
Where are the Light Up Macao installations?
The 2026 zones are not yet announced. In 2025 they spanned three districts: Nam Van, the Northern District and ZAPE, with 28 sets of installations by creative teams from Macao, mainland China, Portugal, Korea, Australia and the US.
When will the 2026 Light Up Macao programme be announced?
Not yet announced. For reference, the 2025 edition was announced at a press conference on 27 November 2025, so expect the 2026 programme around late November 2026. This guide will be updated when it drops.
Sources
- Macao Government Tourism Office: 2026 event calendar, read 3 October 2026
- Cultural Affairs Bureau: 2025 Light Up Macao press release (reference), Macao SAR Government Portal, 27 November 2025
Keep planning
More for the trip
Light Up Macao opens the day before the Macao International Marathon, and it runs through Christmas and New Year's Eve: see the Christmas and New Year guide. For beds, see the hotels guide, and the practical guide covers money, SIM cards and getting around.