City Walk will be transformed into an oriental lantern market for the Canberra Moon Festival

Posted on 6 September, 2022

It’s a time traditionally used to celebrate harvest and reunion in many Asian cultures—and whilst you might only be harvesting delicious food from a range of food stalls, this year the Canberra Moon Festival is helping the Canberra community re-connect.

“Communities play a huge role in local Canberrans’ life, it’s where people get connected, find resources, and help others. We hope the Canberra Moon Festival can be a platform where many communities can become a big one, reaching out to more people and nurturing culture with no discrimination and racism,” Canberra Moon Festival Committee member Angel says.

After two long years away, the Canberra Moon Festival will be transforming City Walk into an oriental lantern market for three days, from Friday 9 until Sunday 11 September.

Filled with street food, free activities, and carnival games, on the stage there will be continuous performances to help keep you enthralled—including live music, fire twirling, a glow-in-the-dark LED dragon with a lion dance, along with storytelling and dances.

If that’s not enough, you can stop by the range of free activities that will also be on offer in between filling up on fluffy gourmet baos, succulent Chinese pancakes, Takoyaki balls, skewers, crepes, ice cream and more.

Never heard of the Moon Festival before? Don’t worry, now is your chance to learn all about it—no matter your culture.

“It is the largest multi-Asian originated festival celebration in Canberra, and it is not only just for Asians but for everyone in and surrounding Canberra to celebrate one world, one community, one big family,” Angel says.

“We believe good culture has no borders hence we want to bring this festival to Canberra, where people from different cultural background become one family and celebrate unity.”

We don’t know about you but the chance to dance, eat and celebrate under a sky of lanterns sounds like the perfect way to spend the weekend.