The Lunar New Year Fair's history can be traced back to the Wanli Emperor age of the Ming Dynasty.

By this time, peasants sold flowers in markets south of the Pearl River.

The fairs draw many visitors as part of the custom of hang nin siu (行年宵, literally: walk the year night) or hang fa shi (行花市, literally: walk the flower market).

Stall tenders try to sell off all their stocks in these few hours before the fair closes, because surplus flowers are normally destroyed (or left to charitable organisations).

Traditionally, the Governor of Hong Kong visited the fair annually, usually in Victoria Park.