The Mid-Autumn Festival (Zhongqiu Jie), also known as the Moon Festival or Mooncake Festival, is a time-honored celebration from China dating back more than 3,000 years.
Traditions include family gatherings, the lighting of lanterns, moon gazing and the sharing “mooncakes,” typically round pastries often cut into pieces equal to the number of family members, reinforcing family togetherness. It is also considered a harvest festival because fruit, vegetables and grain have been harvested by the time of the celebration.
On Friday, September 29, The Preservation Society of Newport County will host this family-friendly event on the grounds of Marble House and in the Chinese Tea House from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Activities will include a traditional Chinese tea ceremony, a lion dance performance by the Rhode Island Kung Fu and Lion Dance Club, eating mooncakes and participating in various crafts such as lantern decorating, paper folding, book readings and more.
Complimentary admission to the Mid-Autumn Festival is available to Preservation Society Family-Level members, but advance registration is required. The price for non-members is $10 per person. Children under 2 can attend for free.
If you would like to purchase a family membership, click HERE. To learn more and purchase tickets, click HERE.
The Mid-Autumn Festival is being offered as the Preservation Society celebrates Newport’s deep connections to China from the 18th century through the Gilded Age with the exhibition “The Celestial City: Newport and China,” at Rosecliff through Feb. 11, 2024. For more information about the exhibition, click HERE.
