The 9th Mid-Autumn Street Festival in the Richmond District of San Francisco took place on October 4th, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Clement Street, between 8th and 11th Avenues, attracting a large number of community residents.
The main stage of the street festival showcased continuous performances including lion dances, singing and dancing, magic shows, and martial arts, drawing large crowds of spectators each time.
With 80 booths lining Clement Street, offering a variety of food, traditional calligraphy and paintings, a mobile library, educational and convenience services, as well as a children’s entertainment area and an open singing zone, people of all ages flocked to the vibrant event.
One of the highlights of the festival was the popular character Labubu’s photo booth, attracting long queues of eager attendees. Other cartoon characters also strolled through the festival, becoming the center of attention for photo opportunities.
California Assemblymember Catherine Stefani was spotted waiting in line at Labubu’s photo area for a picture, expressing her fondness for the character and her excitement to share the photo with her 16-year-old daughter who also loves Labubu.
Reflecting on her experience at the festival, Stefani said, “I am thrilled to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival here with everyone, seeing community members come out, local businesses supported, and various non-profit organizations introducing their services; it’s all wonderful. I am truly happy to be here today!”
She also shared her love for mooncakes, expressing how much she enjoys them. Stefani added, “You know, I also adore the children here, watching them dance, along with the lion dances and Labubu nearby; it’s really fun!”
A father-daughter duo’s performance of “Holy Forever” received enthusiastic applause and cheers from the audience. Mr. Ed played the guitar while his almost 5-year-old daughter Ainsley sang, their harmonious voices captivating the audience.
After their performance, the father-daughter pair came down to take photos with the audience, receiving accolades for their performance and an award from California Senator Scott Wiener.
Ed praised Ainsley’s performance, stating she did a great job and they were proud of her debut on stage. Ainsley shared that she was a bit nervous at first but once she started singing, all her jitters vanished, describing the experience as “very happy” and expressing a desire to perform on stage again.
Ed mentioned that Tantrum’s prize was fantastic, as it’s Ainsley’s favorite toy store in the Richmond District. Celebrating the Mid-Autumn Festival under the sunshine, gathering with everyone, Ed felt grateful and saw it as a valuable cultural experience, highlighting the importance of the festival in Chinese culture.
At the booth of San Francisco High School of the Arts (HSArts), student volunteer Diora mentioned that her volunteer work at the festival was fun and surprising, as she found a shop she used to frequent as a child.
Studying visual arts at the school, Diora described HSArts as a Chinese art school with a large Asian community and diverse courses. Students can even create their own clubs at the school.
Having been influenced by Chinese culture from a young age due to her predominantly Chinese neighbors who gifted her traditional Chinese attire and candies during Chinese New Year, Diora expressed her familiarity with traditional Chinese holidays like the Mid-Autumn Festival.
Regarding her impressions of the street festival, Diora said, “I love it, it’s very colorful. There are so many people here, making me happy and excited.”
California Senator Scott Wiener’s office also delivered a fantastic performance and presented awards to the winners at the festival, adding more festive cheer to the entire event.