City of Arcadia Celebrates Mid-Autumn Festival

In celebration of the Mid-Autumn Festival, the City of Arcadia hosted its annual Moon Festival on Sept. 14 at Arcadia City Hall. The event was organized by the Arcadia Chinese Association (ACA), the Arcadia Chamber of Commerce, and the Arcadia Recreation and Community Services Department.

The Mid-Autumn Festival, also known as the Moon Festival, honors harvest and family traditions in Chinese culture. Along with many booth attendees, the celebration on Saturday featured events such as tea tastes, DIY mooncakes, Arts and Crafts for children, and many traditional Chinese performances.

“We did a lot of set-ups, and it’s busier than last year since it was raining. It’s a good turnout this year,” said Nicole Blaauw, who works for Arcadia Recreation and Community Services Department. “I am not of Chinese heritage, so I learned a lot and really enjoyed it.”

The celebration garnered many attendees, including Arcadia City Council Member April Velato, Congresswoman Judy Chu, and former mayor and co-president of Arcadia Chinese Association Sho Tay.

“This is one of the most important festivals and cultures in Asia with over 3000 years of history. This is where the community comes out; this event is part of the traditions in Arcadia,” said Congresswoman Judy Chu. “I respect it a lot.”

Performances lasted throughout the event, including various traditional Chinese dances, Chinese songs, Kung Fu, Taiji, and stage drama performances.

Qigong performer Yiting Wu expressed her hopes for her performance: “I hope it can bring balance to people’s lives. The lanterns I hold each contain a lighted candle, which I say symbolizes light and warmth. Not everything in life is good, but I hope Qigong brings warmth to people’s hearts.”

The DIY mooncake station, where attendees crafted mooncakes with family and friends, had one of the longest lines at the event. Attendee Travis Xie shared, "I really enjoyed it. The best part is that you can eat the mooncake right after."

Blu, a winner of a Chinese song competition in Monterey Park, expressed his appreciation for the event: “I hope there will be more events like this around Los Angeles. It was a beautiful setting with a very nice turnout.”