We all know that spring has sprung in Melbourne, but on the other side of the equator, the chill of fall is in the air.
In China, this means it’s time for one of the biggest traditional holidays on the calendar – Moon Festival. This event coincides with similar celebrations in Japan, Korea, Vietnam and elsewhere in Asia, which means a ton of people will be in the festive spirit.
Happening on a full moon during the season of harvest, Moon Festival is all about gathering together, giving thanks and taking time to pray. The most iconic forms of celebration include lighting lanterns and eating moon cakes, which are soft sweet or savoury pastries filled with delights like salted egg yolks, sweet red bean paste, date paste, mixed nuts or lotus seed paste.
Stay up to date with what’s happening in and around Melbourne here.
If you’re on the hunt for somewhere to celebrate the special day, we’ve brought together a list of the most exciting Melbourne Mid-Autumn Moon Festival events.
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Lantern For All
- September 23
- 5:30pm
- ZCK Community Centre
Presented by the Zee Cheng Moral Uplifting Society Inc, this event is mainly for the little ones. The youngsters will learn about the meaning behind the mid-autumn celebration and have the chance to participate in the lantern parade, using their very own lantern to light the way and even getting to take it home with them when all is done.
Chinese Traditional Cultural Festival
- September 23 & 24
- 11am to 9:30pm
- Fed Square
On the weekend of September 23 and 24, find Melbourne’s most popular meeting place transformed with traditional decorations and lanterns of the Mid-Autumn festival. Try on traditional Chinese costumes from across the dynasties, try your hand at cultural crafts including lantern-making, caligraphy and pinch pots, and sit back and enjoy the live entertainment on stage.
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QVM Moon Festival
- September 23 & 24
- 9am to 4pm
- Queen Victoria Markets
If your favourite part of the mid-autumn celebration is the food, the QVM event is where you want to be. Dishing up everything from the classic mooncakes to sizzling street food, the festival is centred around the mouth-watering flavours of Chinese cuisine. Of course, there will also be plenty of entertainment and fun stuff for the little ones as well, including live music, cultural performances and interactive activities.
Lantern For All
- September 23
- 5:30pm
- ZCK Community Centre
Presented by the Zee Cheng Moral Uplifting Society Inc, this event is mainly for the little ones. The youngsters will learn about the meaning behind the mid-autumn celebration and have the chance to participate in the lantern parade, using their very own lantern to light the way and even getting to take it home with them when all is done.
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Moon Festival Social Drinks
- September 27
- 6pm to 8pm
- Golden Monkey Bar
To celebrate the Chinese Mid-Autumn festival, Korea’s Chuseok and Japan’s Tsukimi, AsiaX Circle is hosting a social cocktail hour at Golden Monkey Bar. Located on Lonsdale St and Hardware Lane, Golden Monkey is a hidden Old Shanghai themed cocktail bar with Asian tapas, intricate cocktails and a moody atmosphere. AsiaX Circle aims to bring together people with Asian backgrounds or a passion for Asian culture to help them make new friends.
Melbourne Moon Festival
- September 30
- 11am to 6pm
- Box Hill Mall
Hosted by the Melbourne Taiwanese Chamber of Commerce, this is one of the most beloved Moon Festival events. With 45 market stalls offering crafts and cuisines as well as a stacked entertainment program featuring live music, lion dancing, traditional and modern dance performances and demonstrations, it’s a thrilling way to celebrate the festival season.
For more about the history of the Moon Festival, head here.
