On September 6, the Chinatown Social organization in New York City’s Chinatown held the 2nd annual “2025 Mid-Autumn Block Party” at the Hana House in the heart of Brooklyn, attracting thousands of predominantly Asian American youth to come and celebrate. The event featured dozens of small business booths from Chinatown artists’ studios, as well as cultural performances like lion dances and martial arts demonstrations.
The founder of the event, Eddie Chan, expressed to the press that the purpose of the event was to promote Asian American entrepreneurs, creators, and artists, and the response has been overwhelmingly positive. What sets this event apart is that they do not charge vendors for their booths.
“We don’t charge any fees to the booth owners; our goal is to provide a platform and organize such events for the next generation,” Mr. Chan stated. “They are all young people, around 30 or 35 years old, and we are growing together with the next generation of entrepreneurs, creators, and artists.”
Chan explained that New York’s Chinatown is the first stop for Chinese and Asian Americans coming to the US, which is why he named the organization “Chinatown Social”.
“We promote the Chinese market, promote Asian Americans,” he said. “This is our second year, and we have received a warm welcome from the community.”
Various handmade crafts were on display at the event, including jewelry, paintings, books, toys, and porcelain products. One exhibitor, Helen Zhang, who owns her own studio in the Upper West Side, showcased her intricate paper-cutting art pieces, which she carves by hand using rubber or felt, inking them, and imprinting them onto materials like a stamp.
“I create handmade block prints with traditional Asian-inspired designs,” Helen said. “We have been planning this event for several months, aiming to bring the community together. It’s a great opportunity to meet creative individuals and other locals, and the business here is fantastic.”
Another exhibitor, Michelle Wong from California, presented her series of children’s books designed to teach Mandarin Chinese named “Chinese for Beginners”.
“These books are my creation, intended to teach children Mandarin through the ‘Chinese for Beginners’ series,” she explained. “I wanted children to learn language and culture from a young age, but couldn’t find books that truly interested both kids and myself, so I decided to create this series. Seeing other families connect with me and embark on the journey of learning Mandarin makes me very happy.”
Outside the event hall, a line of audience members waited to enter. The organizers mentioned that last year they welcomed around 2000 guests, and this year they expected an increase to 3000 people.