Chinatown-based non-profit Think!Chinatown started their second summer series earlier this summer—a night market showcasing the best of Chinatown.
Formerly called Chinatown Nights Chinatown Night Market is an open-air cultural festival that features Chinatown-focused art and programming along with local street food vendors at Forsyth Plaza. The hopes behind the monthly market was to drive more people to Chinatown to support the local businesses and provide a safe space for everyone around.
After a successful summer so far their next event is taking place this Friday, September 9th, from 8p.m. – 11p.m, and will celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival.
The Mid-Autumn Festival is celebrated by the Chinese and Vietnamese people on the 15th day of the 8th month of the lunar calendar with a full moon at night. This festival primarily celebrates the moon, but the importance of the sun and successful harvests is also recognized.
This week’s night market will celebrate on the eve of the Mid-Autumn Festival with tasty eats, fun performances, and traditional crafts. There will also be Mooncakes, a rich pastry typically filled with sweet-bean or lotus-seed paste which are named after the shape of the full moon while representing the worship of the moon and a desire for reunion and harmony with family members.
Chinatown food favorites will be among the list of vendor’s for this week’s event, alongside artisans of traditional folk art crafts such as dough figurines, palm leaf dolls, braided straw figurines, sugar paintings, paper cut portraits, and traditional paper cutting.