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Celebrated in various East and Southeast Asian countries, the mid-autumn festival or mooncake festival takes on different names. It's known as Zhōngqiū Jié or Jūng-chāu Jit in China, Chueseok in Korea and Tết Trung Thu in Vietnam.
But the moon festival is held in Australia too, including in Cabramatta in Sydney's west.
Enjoy the festivities at Cabramatta Moon Festival. Source: Supplied
Lanterns and mooncakes
After a two-year hiatus, the Fairfield City Council's Cabramatta Moon Festival returns on 28 August.
Mother-and-son culinary masters Angie and Dan Hong will be on stage at this year's festival.
Dan is an acclaimed Australian chef and restaurateur, as well as the host of SBS Food show, The Streets with Dan Hong. Meanwhile, Angie is the founder of Cabramatta's landmark restaurant.
"The full moon in the lunar month of August is a very significant celebration in the Vietnamese Culture, especially for children," Angie says. "This celebration is dubbed as the 'Children's Festival'. It is mainly a night-time celebration."
It's a way for elders to pass on skills to the children and, for them to foster the children's imaginations.
She relays that parents and grandparents help children make lanterns out of bamboo, coloured cellophane and wire. The lanterns take on a variety of whimsical shapes, such as boats, rabbits and butterflies.
"The whole process is an integral part of family time. It's a way for elders to pass on skills to the children and, for them to foster the children's imaginations.
"When darkness falls and the moon is high in the sky, children carry their lighted lanterns and walk in a procession throughout the neighbourhood to show case their designs."
After the light exhibition, the children are treated to sweet-bean soup cooked with cane sugar and mandarin skin, and mooncake (typically, a round pastry filled with either a red-bean or lotus-seed paste).
"When my kids were growing up, our family lived in Epping, NSW. Dan and his sisters didn't partake in lantern parades," Angie laughs. "They did try the mooncakes though, but they weren't really fans."
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The Cabramatta Moon Festival
Although Angie couldn't persuade her kids to love mooncakes, the Hong family has held onto culture and continues to celebrate tradition.
"I have five school-aged grandchildren in Sydney and two in Singapore. I want them to be part of this cultural event. I'll be bringing them to this year's Cabramatta Moon Festival," she says. "I think it will help them understand our cultural heritage, as well as appreciate the cultural diversity that we are so lucky to have in this country!"
Alongside the Hongs, the Melbourne-based, internationally renowned ABBA tribute show, Björn Again, will headline at the festival.
The day's events begin in the town centre with a lion dance at 11am. This will be followed by family-friendly entertainment and activities, such as a children's chopstick challenge, and pho- and mooncake-eating competitions.
People can visit market stalls, go on rides and play games throughout the day, before the festivities culminate in a lantern parade in the evening and a fireworks finale at 8pm.
Fairfield City Mayor Frank Carbone says, "It's great to see big events back and bringing in visitors to our city."
It will help them understand our cultural heritage, as well as appreciate the cultural diversity that we are so lucky to have in this country.
Carbone says that given that about 90,000 people have attended the festival in previous years, the event promotes tourism in the area, boosts the local economy and creates jobs.
"We all love our traditions and culture, that's what makes us strong as a community. I guarantee there will be something for everyone at the event and, look forward to this year's festival being the biggest and best ever held."
