Mid-Autumn Family Festival
October 4, 2025, 2:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Glowing lanterns, sweet reunions, and Mid-Autumn magic! Join us for an afternoon of Mid-Autumn tales, drop-in arts & crafts, mooncake making, and more on October 4, 2–5 PM. Check back shortly to see the full schedule of events.
Tickets: Click here for tickets! $8/person. Free for MyMOCA Family Level Members & kids 2 and under. Limited free tickets for Culture Pass, Cool Culture, and Culture Connected families, stay tuned for information on their release. RSVP required.
Know Before You Go
Festival capacity is limited, walk-ins will be admitted as capacity allows. Due to the limited capacity of the museum and efforts to adhere to safety guidelines, families may have to wait to enter the museum during peak times. If your plans have changed and you are no longer able to attend the event, please cancel your reservation to ensure adequate space for others. Due to the limited capacity of the museum and efforts to adhere to safety guidelines, families may have to wait to enter the museum during peak times.
Family Festivals are bustling events with lots of sights, sounds, and aromas. There is limited stroller parking available, with a staff-operated lift used to reach the restrooms and lower level spaces. We recommend families with sensory concerns join our MOCACREATE drop-in programs.
EVENT SCHEDULE
PERFORMANCES, WORKSHOPS & MORE!
Sharing mooncakes with friends and family is a beloved Mid-Autumn tradition. Join Linda Yi of Panda Cub Stories as she shows us how to make special snowy skin mooncakes. Discover the ingredients inside mooncakes and the molds used to make them, and then eat a no-bake mooncake that you make yourself! Don’t forget to browse Linda’s many recipe cards, which will be available for purchase, for other familiar favorites!
Linda Yi is a Sichuanese American writer/illustrator and the creator of @pandacubstories. She draws comics to document what she’s learning: be it Chinese culture, cooking her favorite foods, or living with ADHD. Her latest project is a deck of her family’s Sichuanese recipes …but in COMIC FORM. Learn more about it here!
Munching on Mooncakes: Mooncake Tasting Station** | 2:30 PM – 4:30 PM
Try delectable slices of traditional mooncakes courtesy of Po Wing Hong Food Market and Fay Da Bakery.
MOCAKIDS Meet & Greet with Author Kimberly Tso & Illustrator Louie Chin | 3:30 PM
Join author Kimberly Tso and illustrator Louie Chin for a MOCAKIDS Author Meet & Greet featuring Tso’s debut picture book, Tic-Tac-Toe Chicken. This instant classic is inspired by Lillie, a real chicken who played tic-tac-toe in the iconic Chinatown Fair arcade. Set in the heart of Chinatown, the vibrant picture book celebrates a beloved neighborhood landmark and the power of one child’s clever thinking. After the reading, kids can compete in a friendly tic-tac-toe competition. The winner will take home a handmade crochet chicken! Best for children ages 3–8. Older and younger siblings are welcome. Book signing and purchase will follow the reading! Pre-order your copy and receive a bookmark and sticker sheet. Buy a book during the Family Festival and receive a bookmark and special treat from Yaya Tea.
Kimberly Tso was born in New York City, and growing up she split her time between there and Arlington, Virginia. She now lives in Los Angeles, California, with her partner and two daughters. Tic-Tac-Toe Chicken, illustrated by Louie Chin, is her first book. Prior to writing children’s books, she was a grant writer for nonprofits and taught grant writing to graduate public policy students. When she is not writing books, she enjoys cooking, reading, playing video games, solving puzzles, and spending time with her family.
Louie Chin is an illustrator whose work includes the children’s book, Bodega Cat, which was a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection in 2020. He has created artworks for a variety of publications and projects, including the New York Times, Boston Globe, and Nike. He works in both traditional mediums such as watercolor and gouache as well as with digital art software. He was born and raised in New York City, where he still resides. Louie is of Chinese American descent.
Portraits of the Moon Performance & Workshop* | 4:15 PM
Portraits of the Moon is a contemporary dance piece that celebrates the moon’s rich symbolism in Chinese culture. This excerpt explores the tradition of making mooncakes interpreted through movement! After the performance, join choreographer and performer Jiemin Yang for an interactive dance workshop. No experience necessary, just come ready to move your body and have some fun!
Jiemin Yang is a Chinese American choreographer and performer based in Queens. He holds a MA in Contemporary Dance from the London Contemporary Dance School and a BS from Macaulay Honors College. Jiemin’s work has been recognized with the Redtail Artist Residencies ’23 at Jamaica Center for the Arts & Learning and multiple grants from the Queens Council on the Arts, NYFA, and Flushing Town Hall. Jiemin was honored as Artist of Exceptional Merit ’22 by the Asian American Arts Alliance and has been a resident artist of the CUNY Dance Initiative at Queens College/Kupferberg Center for the Arts from 2021-2022.
MOCAKIDS Storytime: Zoom to the Moon!
Did you know that a goddess, rabbit, and woodcutter all live on the moon? Join MOCA Educator Nancy in learning all about enchanting Chang’E and the timeless traditions of the Moon Festival in Chang’e on the Moon, retold by Katrina Moore, illustrated by Cornelia Li, and translated by Jaime Chu.
Shoot for the Moon Scavenger Hunt
Join a MOCA educator in following clues high and low to spot twinkling full moons and shimmering stars in the museum exhibits! Practice your archery like Hou Yi to protect the galleries!
Mid-Autumn Games | 2 PM – 5 PM
- Bo Bing: Roll the dice and celebrate the moon! During the Mid-Autumn Festival in southern China, families and friends gather to play bo bing — a lively dice game that’s all about luck, laughter, and togetherness. Take turns rolling the dice to win special prizes.
- Bunny Hop: Hop your way through a Mid-Autumn picnic filled with all your favorite festival treats— mooncakes, pomelo, lotus root, and so many more. Each hop brings you closer to a joyful celebration under the full moon.
- Mooncake Matching & more!
Harvest Moon Picnic | 2 PM – 5 PM
The full harvest moon symbolizes family reunion and coming together. Gather around the blanket for a make-believe harvest moon picnic! Learn about the foods that families share as they gaze at the moon and give thanks for the year’s harvest.
Mid-Autumn Photo Corner | 2 PM – 5 PM
Soak up the limelight (or moonlight!) at our Mid-Autumn photo corner. Strike a pose with moon Goddess Chang’E, skilled archer Hou Yi, 玉兔 Yùtù the Jade Rabbit, and special moon themed props. Don’t forget to fold a star with a secret wish for Chang E’ to grant.
Jumping Jade Rabbit
Have you watched the full moon (赏月) on the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival? If so, you might have seen the outline of the mythical Jade Rabbit, also known as yù tù 玉兔! Create your own jumping Jade Rabbit that’s sure to delight using cups, a rubber band, and a bit of creativity.
Mooncake Box Design Challenge with Teaching Artist Yu Rong
Design your own mooncake box to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival! Use paper folding techniques, festive patterns, and more to make and decorate a custom box that’s perfect for housing your make-believe playdough mooncake.
Mooncakes will be generously donated by Po Wing Hong Food Market and Fay Da Bakery.
