Tens of thousands of locals and visitors swarmed the narrow alleys of San Francisco's Chinatown on Saturday to enjoy the Mid-Autumn Festival celebrations unfolding here in two days of non-stop fun.
The 29th edition of the local festival plunged the streets into a sea of endless cheers, foods, shopping, live music, parades, dragon dances, games, martial arts, and children's activities, as well as shows featuring the Moon Goddess presented by dozens of various groups and organizations in San Francisco.
San Francisco Mayor London Breed, who led a group of elected officials and community leaders on the Main Stage at Washington and Grant Avenue, congratulated local residents and tourists who had come together to share their love and good luck with each other on the special day that has long been celebrated in Asia.
"The Mid-Autumn Festival is a time to celebrate our community, our family and coming together, and this incredible parade along with the vendors and the festival here is an opportunity for us to enjoy the incredible historic Chinatown in San Francisco," she said.
She noted that the event's organizer, the Chinatown Merchants Association, has done a lot to make the festival "a destination for people who visit San Francisco from all over the world."
The Mid-Autumn Festival, which falls on the 15th day of the eighth month of the Chinese lunar calendar, or Sept. 13 this year, is often considered here as a "Chinese Thanksgiving," a time to reflect upon the bounty of the summer harvest, the fullness of the moon, and the myth of the Chinese Moon Goddess, Chang'e.
The local celebrations of the festival are also a family-friendly event, providing a taste of the cultural diversity and rich history of the Chinese American community.
