As the Mid-Autumn Festival approaches, the Chinese community in Southern California is gearing up to celebrate the occasion with a series of festive activities. The Diamond Bar Chinese American Association (DBCAA) hosted a Mid-Autumn Carnival on September 27th at Diamond Bar High School, showcasing a variety of performances by different groups and artists to foster the traditional values of family and benevolence cherished by the Chinese community.
The event, running from 4 PM to 9 PM, attracted hundreds of Chinese families who enjoyed traditional Chinese snacks such as steamed buns and box lunches. The carnival offered a diverse range of activities, including consultation services on insurance, retirement, healthcare, and college admissions for parents, along with various entertaining games for children to engage in while making new friends and getting acquainted with the community.
Sponsors also provided guests with a variety of small gifts. The well-known organization “Everyone’s Responsibility for Community Safety” (TACF) prepared gift packages containing sunglasses and traditional Chinese medicine boxes to distribute to attendees seeking advice.
The highlight of the celebration was the Mid-Autumn Evening Gala that began at 7 PM, featuring performances by elementary and middle school students showcasing talents in instruments like violin, flute, and clarinet, as well as Latin dance, acrobatics, and captivating magic shows.
A high school student named Layla Xuehui Wu wowed the audience with her poker magic tricks, earning continuous applause for her innovative card manipulations that dazzled spectators. Layla Xuehui Wu, a Chinese-American magician, previously received the “Outstanding Young Magician Award” and was named the most popular magician in the “American International Magic Competition” in 2024. She is also the youngest performer at the Magic Castle in Hollywood.
Guo Kaiqi, the President of the Diamond Bar Chinese American Association, extended warm Mid-Autumn Festival greetings to the Chinese community in Southern California. She expressed joy and pride in seeing families of three generations coming together for the celebration and thanked Diamond Bar High School for providing a clean venue, the dedicated performance teams, and the generous support from local businesses.
The Mayor of Diamond Bar, Deng Jiayou, and his wife Li Minni, joined the festivities and donated ten thousand dollars to Diamond Bar High School. District Commissioner Tong Yi, and Dr. David Hong, Principal of Diamond Bar High School, were also present at the celebratory event.
Mayor Deng Jiayou emphasized the importance of family reunions in Asian households during the Mid-Autumn Festival, stating that it exemplifies traditional values of family unity and harmony. He highlighted the negative impact on children’s growth when families face problems in American society, advocating for healthy, united, and harmonious family structures as the best gift parents can provide to their children.
Mayor Deng Jiayou wished the Chinese community in Southern California a happy Mid-Autumn Festival, emphasizing that the Mid-Autumn Festival is not only a celebration of tradition but also a demonstration of respect for cultural roots. He underscored the need to pass down this valuable cultural heritage to future generations to ensure that the diverse community of Diamond Bar can all share in this cultural treasure.
Chinese parent Lin Wendi brought her elementary school-aged son to join in the festivities, delighting in watching him play games with other children. She expressed that for children growing up in America, the Mid-Autumn Festival presents an opportunity to broaden their horizons. By celebrating the Mid-Autumn Festival amidst Western cultural events like Hollywood and Thanksgiving, it helps children understand their background and family roots more deeply.