| The Mid-Autumn Festival, also known as the Moon | | | | Mid-Autumn Festival in London |
| Festival and the Chinese Lantern Festival, is held | | | | Gerrard Street was the main focal point of the |
| on the 15th day of the eighth month in the | | | | Moon Festival in London and Chinatown was lit up |
| Chinese lunar calendar. This usually occurs around | | | | by thousands of orange paper lanterns to mark |
| late September or early October when the moon | | | | the occasion. Thousands of local Chinese and |
| is supposedly at its fullest and roundest. | | | | visitors from all over the world were there to |
| The Mid-Autumn Festival is the most important | | | | participate in the anxiously awaited annual event. |
| festival in the Chinese calendar, apart from the | | | | Many children were wearing the traditional bright |
| Chinese New Year and Winter Solstice (also | | | | coloured Chinese costumes and they look pretty |
| known as Dongzhi Festival), and is a national | | | | in them. |
| holiday in some countries. | | | | This event was organised by the London |
| Traditionally, during the Mid-Autumn Festival, | | | | Chinatown Chinese Association and was held on |
| farmers celebrate the end of the summer | | | | Sunday, 11th October, a week later than usual, to |
| harvesting season on this date. Chinese family | | | | coincide with the London Restaurant Festival (8th |
| members and friends gather to admire the bright | | | | - 13th October 2009). |
| mid-autumn harvest moon, and enjoy moon | | | | An outdoor stage was setup on Macclesfield |
| cakes and pomelos together. | | | | Street, facing Gerrard Street. The opening |
| Overthrow of Mongolian rule | | | | ceremony started at 1.00pm with the |
| According to Chinese folklore, the Moon Festival | | | | ever-popular lion dance. |
| commemorates an uprising in China against the | | | | The afternoon's performances were a mixture of |
| Mongolian rulers of the Yuan Dynasty (1280-1368) | | | | traditional and modern entertainment including a |
| in the 14th century. Group gatherings were | | | | lion dance, martial arts, Chinese traditional music, |
| forbidden by the Mongolian rulers and it was | | | | hip-hop dance and Hong Kong Canto-Pop. |
| impossible to orchestrate a rebellion. | | | | Gifts were distributed to those who participated in |
| As the Mongolians did not partake in the eating of | | | | quizzes or were brave enough to go on stage to |
| moon cakes, the rebel leaders came up with the | | | | give a performance. There were also food |
| idea of timing the rebellion to coincide with the | | | | tasting, candy and noodle-making classes and |
| Moon Festival. They distributed thousands of | | | | even a Chopsticks Challenge. |
| moon cakes to the Chinese residents in the city | | | | 28 Chinatown restaurants participated in the |
| and cleverly inserted inside each moon cake a | | | | London Restaurant Festival and offered |
| piece of paper with the message: "Kill the | | | | mouth-watering special menus of Oriental cuisines |
| Mongolians on the 15th day of the 8th month." | | | | at special prices. |
| On the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival, the | | | | Elsewhere Chinese community stores were set |
| rebels successfully attacked and overthrew the | | | | up to sell Chinese products and those selling paper |
| Mongolian government. Following the overthrow of | | | | lanterns and fans seemed to have done very well |
| the Mongolian government was the establishment | | | | on the day. |
| of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). As a result of | | | | And so did the lion who danced from one shop to |
| the successful rebellion, the Mid-Autumn Festival | | | | another offering good fortune to the Chinese |
| was celebrated with moon cakes on a national | | | | business community. |
| level. | | | | |