The Canberra Moon Festival, one of the ACT’s largest multicultural celebrations, returns to Civic this weekend, bringing three days of culture, food and family activities.
The event runs from 4 to 6 September in City Walk and Petrie Plaza, and organisers expect it to attract 40,000 visitors.
The Canberra Moon Festival began in 2016. Founder Suzana Li was inspired by the Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival and its traditions of harmony and family.
Over the past decade, it has developed into a broader multicultural event for Canberra, guided by the ethos ‘One Community, One World, One Big Family’: bringing people of all cultures together, celebrating equality, and reminding us that humanity is one shared race.
This year’s festival program includes lion and dragon dancing; martial arts; traditional and contemporary dance; and vocal performances.
Visitors will be able to make mooncakes, a Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival tradition symbolising completeness and family reunion; make lanterns; paint lacquer fans (the 8,000-year-old craft of daqi); and create wind chimes inspired by Song dynasty brocade.
Food stalls will serve cuisine from around the world, including Chinese, Indian, Latino, Vietnamese, Turkish, Bhutanese, Mauritian and Egyptian. Several popular Canberra restaurants will also take part.
Other activities include health and wellbeing workshops; sand art; and the festival’s Youth Artist Awards exhibition, Harmony Through Health.
The event is organised by community organisation Fun Canberra, which aims to promote cultural understanding, community participation, and a sense of belonging among people from different backgrounds. Last year, the festival introduced its long-term theme of ‘Light Up the World’, shining a light on the cultures, values and voices that make this city bright.
The Canberra Moon Festival will be held at City Walk and Petrie Plaza from 4–6 September. The program begins on Friday evening and continues throughout Saturday and Sunday. For more information, visit https://www.canberramoonfestival.com.au/
