The spirit of the harvest season returns to Honolulu's Chinatown this autumn as Chinatown 808 presents its annual Mid-Autumn Festival, presented by the Hawaii National Bank Foundation. The cultural event, also known as the Moon Festival, celebrates the end of the harvest season. This year’s all-day celebration will take place on Saturday, September 19, 2026, from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. at the Chinatown Cultural Plaza. Participants can look forward to an assortment of food and craft vendors, keiki activities, free entertainment, live bunnies, and more, while taking in the beauty of the full moon and other celestial objects through telescopes after dark.

The Mid-Autumn Festival is traditionally held on the fifteenth day of the eighth month of the lunar calendar with a full moon at night. Families and friends typically gather together to admire the moon, share mooncakes and exchange wishes and greetings for good fortune.

“The Mid-Autumn Festival is one of our favorite opportunities to bring people together in Chinatown,” said Leonard Kam, president of Chinatown 808. “Whether you come for the cultural performances, traditional foods, lantern parade or to support our local businesses and vendors, we hope everyone leaves with a deeper appreciation for the community and traditions that make this celebration so special.”

This year’s celebration offers a full schedule of activities including:

11:00 - 11:30 am: Opening Ceremonies

11:30 - 12:30 pm: Ryugen Taiko

1:30 - 2:00 pm: Mun Lun School

3:00 - 3:30 pm: Peony Dance Group

4:00 - 5:00 pm: Hawaii Lion Dance Association

5:00 - 6:00 pm: Chinese Lion Dance Association

6:00 - 7:00 pm: Sing Yung Dragon and Lion Dance Association

8:00 - 9:00 pm: Chuk Kai Tai Chi

9:00 - 10:00 pm: Yeung Dak Physical Culture Dragon & Lion Dance

There will also be a lantern parade, where participants are encouraged to dress up in Chinese cultural costumes and bring their own homemade lanterns. The parade will start at the Hawaii National Bank Main Branch, with check-in beginning at 4:45pm, and the parade starting at 5:30pm. Participants will walk from the Hawaii National Bank King St. Branch up Maunakea Street towards Sun Yat-sen Mall. Please note that event organizers will inspect lanterns at check-in and reserve the right to deny participation if necessary. Interested participants are encouraged to sign up online at https://chinatown808.com/honolulu-mid-autumn-festival/ by clicking the “Parade Participation” button and completing the Google Form.

“Honolulu's Chinatown has long been a place where culture, community and local businesses come together,” said Bryan Luke, President and CEO of Hawaii National Bank. “We're proud to support the Mid-Autumn Festival because it celebrates those connections while bringing people together to experience everything that makes Chinatown such a special place.”

In addition, festival-goers can participate in a lantern-making activity at the Chinatown Cultural Plaza for $5, where participants of all ages can design and craft their own lanterns to display during the parade. Attendees can also enter the Lantern-Making Contest, with winners judged on creativity & originality and craftsmanship & presentation. Complete contest rules and details are available on the Chinatown 808 website, or scan the QR code at the festival for on-site registration.

This year’s Mid-Autumn Festival features an exciting lineup of more than 30 vendors offering a diverse range of products and flavors to enjoy. The following vendors are currently scheduled to participate:

Anastacia's Pizza/These Stuffed Cookies
Andagi
Blue Truck Teppanyaki
Confections by Pakalana
Dozers Donuts
First Meet Studio
Good Luck Gems
Hawaiian Cane Juice
Hawaiian Honey Cones
HK Fashion
Ho’ohana Creations
Hott Potstickers
I am Tanukis LLC
Island Craves LLC
Judy Shop
Kapa Moi Lions Club Shave Ice
Legend Seafood Restaurant
Mama Merce’s Kitchen
Mini Munchiez
Olay’s Thai-Lao Express
Simply 3D Prints
TA⋅MA⋅DA⋅ SWEETS LLC
Teapresso Bar
Teddy Bear Mobile Hawaii
The henna shack
The OldTaku LLC
Treasures by Lokomai
Twisted Pretzel
UnitedHealthcare
Yang’s
Young's ʻOhana Mākeke

A special mahalo to this year’s presenting sponsor, Hawaii National Bank Foundation, a long-time supporter of local community events, and to C.Q. Yee Hop Foundation for its generous contribution to this year's festival.

Chinatown 808 is a local volunteer-run nonprofit that works to support Honolulu’s Chinatown businesses and community. For more information, visit www.chinatown808.com/ or follow Chinatown 808 on Facebook and Instagram.