In Chinese: “中秋節” pronounced as Zhong Qiu Jie
In Japanese: 月見（つきみ）?
In Korean: 추석 (Chu sok)
In Vietnamese: Tết Trung Thu
It is a traditional festival celebrated by many Asian American communities in the Far East and Southeast.
WHEN IS MID-AUTUMN FESTIVAL
This tradition is celebrated in various forms throughout China (Mid-Autumn Festival), Japan (Tsukimi), Korea (Chuseok), and Vietnam (Tết Trung Thu). A Mid-Autumn Festival is also called Mooncake Festival or Mid-Autumn Festival in Chinese. The festival is held on the 15th day of the 8th month according to the lunar calendar, when the full moon is brightest and fullest. It is a festival of gathering, thanksgiving, and prayer during the mid-Autumn harvest season. This year festival is celebrated on September 17, 2024. As Thanksgiving is in the US, Mid-Autumn Festival is in Asia a time for reunions between families.
During the Mid-Autumn Festival, children are delighted to stay up past midnight, parading multi-colored lanterns into the wee hours as families take to the streets or city parks to moon-gaze. This day was also considered a harvest festival since fruits, vegetables and grain had been harvested by this time and food were abundant. For generations, moon cakes have been made with sweet fillings of nuts, mashed red beans, lotus-seed paste or Chinese dates, wrapped in a pastry. Sometimes a cooked egg yolk can be found in the middle of the rich tasting dessert. Nowadays, there are hundreds of varieties of moon cakes on sale a month before the arrival of Moon Festival. It is also a romantic night for lovers, who sit holding hands on hilltops, riverbanks and park benches, captivated by the brightest moon of the year….
In China, this special occasion is also considered a harvest festival since farmers have just finished gathering their crops and bringing in fruits from the orchards. Overwhelmed with joy when they have a bumper harvest and quite relaxed after a year of hard work, they feel it is a time for relaxation and celebration.
Moon cakes, different types of fruits like pomelo, watermelons, oranges, apples, grapes and so on — used as food offerings — are placed on an altar. Basking under the moonlight, the families will then sit together and take turns to admire the moon, whilst chatting and sharing moon cakes.
Mooncakes are a popular snack to be eaten during Mid-Autumn Festival and here is where to buy them in stores and online:
- Costco Wholesale: Winter Park · Gardens Park Blvd · Water Bridge Blvd
- Dong-A Supermarket: 816 N Mills Ave, Orlando, FL 32803 · (407) 898-9227
- Eastside Asian Market: 12950 E Colonial Dr, Orlando, FL 32826 · (407) 615-8881
- Enson Market: 5132 W Colonial Dr, Orlando, FL 32808 · (407) 292-3668
- iFresh Market: 2415 E Colonial Dr, Orlando, FL 32803 · (407) 228-9899
- Lotte Plaza Market at Orlando: 3191 W Colonial Dr, Orlando, FL 32808 · (407) 499-1115
- Mei’s Supermarket: 10681 E Colonial Dr, Union Park, FL 32817 · (689) 208-1888
- New Golden Sparkling Supermarket: 5600 W Colonial Dr #306, Orlando, FL 32808 · (407) 730-3936
Best Places to Celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival in Florida
9/7 SACA Autumn Moon Festival in Tampa
Suncoast Association of Chinese Americans hosting the Annual Autumn Moon Festival on Saturday 9/7 5-8 pm at Safety Harbor Community Center. Come to celebrate the event with us and get your free moon cake for the festival.
Please DM Sunny Duann for details at 727-656-9988.
more info at https://asiatrend.org/event/saca-autumn-moon-festival-in-tampa/
Mid-Autumn Festival Celebration at Babcock Ranch
Mid-Autumn Festival Celebration at Babcock Ranch.
Sunday, September 8th
5 pm to 6:30 pm
at Founder’s Square
We will have the traditional mooncakes, almond cookies, wontons, and goodies for kids and families.
more info at https://asiatrend.org/event/mid-autumn-festival-celebration-at-babcock-ranch/
Moon Over Avalon’s Lantern Making Workshop
Come September 14th and create a unique lantern at Moon Over Avalon’s Lantern Making Workshop.
Venue: Avalon Park Arts and Culture Center
13013 Founder’s Square Drive 32828
Showcase your piece in the Lantern Parade at 8:30
$15 per lantern – 2 for $25
Tickets: https://loom.ly/83phyOU
9/14 Moon Over Avalon at the Avalon Park
Asia Trend proudly presents the third annual Moon Over Avalon in partnership with Avalon Park Orlando and various non-profit organizations to bring joy, friendship and harmony in the Avalon Park Orlando.
This 5-hour evening event includes children’s arts & craft activities, DIY festival lanterns, food trucks, night market, and live performances.
Event location: Avalon Town Park
3651 Avalon Park E Blvd
Orlando, FL 32828
20 Food vendors + 30 vendors inside Town Park + 4 hours Asian cultural entertainments on stage.
Thank you event sponsor: Avalon Park Orlando, Dr Puxiao Cen, Amerasia Bank, and Taiwanese Chamber of Commerce of Greater Orlando TCCGO 大奧蘭多臺灣商會.
Thank you events’ partners: Thuyen May Productions, Devyani Dancers, PureHenna Orlando, Orlando HanQing Tai Chi Culture and Art Center – Tai Chi with Grace.
Get ready for a day of fun at our festival with FREE admission and parking! Bring your lawn chair and join us for live music, delicious food, and exciting activities.
more info at facebook.com/Orlando.Moon.Festival/
9/14 Pháp Vũ Trẻ: Tết Trung Thu (Mid-Autumn Festival) 2024
Tết Trung Thu: 5pm-9pm thứ bảy 14/9/2024.
more info at https://www.facebook.com/phap.vu.522
9/14 CAAT Mid-Autumn Festival in Tampa
The Chinese American Association of Tampa (CAAT) is inviting everyone who wants to celebrate a happy day celebration of their Mid-Autumn Festival that will be held at the elegant GRAND FORTUNE RESTAURANT at 1104 E. Fowler Avenue, Tampa on Saturday, September 14, 2024, starting at 12:30 PM. There will be lots of performances and lots of food.
Donations of $28 per adult or $10 per child 12 years and under.
more info at https://asiatrend.org/event/caat-mid-autumn-festival-in-tampa/
9/15 Southwest Florida Chinese Association Mid-Autumn Festival Celebration
Southwest Florida Chinese Association in the Mid-Autumn Festival celebration at the Lions Center in Bonita Springs on September 15th, 2024. Tickets can be purchased through https://buytickets.at/swfca/1349961.
6 and under, and 80+ are free.
Bonita Springs Lions Center Rental Hall (indoor air-conditioned)
10370 Pennsylvania Ave, Bonita Springs, FL 34135
more info at https://asiatrend.org/event/southwest-florida-chinese-association-mid-autumn-festival-celebration/
9/21 St. Philip Phan Van Minh Catholic Church Hội Trăng Rằm (Mid-Autumn Festival) 2024
St. Philip Phan Van Minh Catholic Church hosted Hội Trăng Rằm (Mid-Autumn Festival) on September 21 from 5 pm to 10 pm.
more info contact (407) 896 – 4210 or https://www.philipminh.church/
9/21 Tet Trung Thu 2024 Tampa Bay (Mid-Autumn Moon Festival)
Tet Trung Thu 2024 Tampa Bay (Mid-Autumn Moon Festival) organized by the Vietnamese American Communities of Tampa Bay: Vietnamese Student Association of USF, Vietnam Culture House, Youth of the Republic of Vietnam.
Free lanterns and goody bags for children
Moon Cakes, Variety of Asian foods, BBQ, and Drinks
Carnival Games and Prizes
Free Face Painting and Animal Balloons
Excellent Students Awards (Elementary and Middle School)
On Site Best Lantern Competition (1st Prize $100, 2nd Prize $75, and 3rd Prize $50)
Lion Dance, Lantern Procession, and much more!
more info at https://asiatrend.org/event/tet-trung-thu-2024-tampa-bay-mid-autumn-moon-festival/
ORIGIN & MYTHS, BELIEVE IT OR NOT
The Moon Festival legend about a love story of Hou Yi and Chang E. Once upon a time, there were ten suns rising in the sky, which scorched all crops and drove people into dire poverty. A legendary hero named Hou Yi was troubled by this. Channeling his superhuman strength he drew his bow and shot down the nine blazing suns one after another, ordering the remaining sun to rise and set according to time. For this, he was respected and loved by the people but angered the Jade Emperor. As punishment he banished Hou Yi and his beautiful wife Chang’e to live as mere mortals on earth. Both unhappy over the loss of their immortality, Hou Yi decided to venture on a perilous quest to find the elixir of immortality so that the couple could be immortals again. At the end of his quest he met the Queen Mother of the West who agreed to give him the potion, but warned him that each person would only need half the elixir to become immortal. Hou Yi brought the elixir home and stored it in a case. He warned Chang’e not to open it and then left home for a while, Chang’e became curious and opened up the case, found the elixir, then swallowed the entire elixir. Her body floated off the ground, drifting out the window and flew towards heaven. Chang’e kept on floating until she reached the moon.
WHAT TO DO
On the 14 of lunar August, one day before the moon festival evening, we call this evening the “Moon Welcoming”. The moon has almost reached its roundest and fullest shape. People will start walking on the streets with color paper lantern in the shapes of animals, and more recently, in the shapes of planes and spaceships.
On the 15 of lunar August, the moon festival, the moon is in the best shape this night. Families will get together to have dinner for a reunion. We will then gather and talk, enjoy moon cakes, which made of ground lotus and sesame seed paste, egg yolk and other ingredients (very much like having turkey at Thanksgiving) and various kinds of seasonal fruits. Besides, many people today like to go out to attend special performances in parks or on public squares.
On the 16 of lunar August, the day after moon festival, people still go on the street or beaches to enjoy the “moon-bathe”. We called it “Moon chasing”.
AFTER THE FESTIVAL
People usually have to stay home and finish up all the leftover food and go on diet if you have put on too much weight after eating all those mooncakes.
From the writer: The reason I like this festival the most is the romantic side of it. For nowadays busy life, it is wonderful to get together with the ones we love and we miss for all year long.
