Mid-Autumn Family Moon Festival at MOCA

Sat Oct 4, 2025
2:00pm to 5:00pm ET
Age: All ages
Price: $8/person
Location:
Museum of Chinese in America
(917) 660-2402
215 Centre Street, New York, NY, 10013
Invite a friend Website

Celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival (中秋节) with mooncakes, magic, and the Jade Rabbit on the moon! Stop by for an afternoon of storytelling, drop-in arts and crafts, mooncake making, and more.

RSVP online in advance.

Performances, Workshops & Activities

Prologue, Part II: A Shadow Puppet Performance* | 2:30pm
During the Mid-Autumn Festival, shadow puppetry is especially popular because the full moon acts as a natural light source for performances. Artists Spica Wobbe & Margaret Yuen present a captivating story about adventure, courage, and new beginnings. The performance runs approximately 22 minutes and concludes with time to explore the set, as well as a Q & A about shadow puppetry and storytelling.
 
Snowy Skin Mooncake Making with Linda Yi of Panda Cub Stories** | 2:30pm – 4:30pm
Sharing mooncakes with friends and family is a beloved Mid-Autumn tradition. Linda Yi of Panda Cub Stories shows 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! 

Munching on Mooncakes: Mooncake Tasting Station** | 2:30pm – 4:30pm
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 | 3:30pm
Author Kimberly Tso and illustrator Louie Chin host 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. 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 follows 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.

Portraits of the Moon Performance & Workshop* | 4:15pm
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!

MOCAKIDS Storytime: Zoom to the Moon!
Did you know that a goddess, rabbit, and woodcutter all live on the moon? Join MOCA Educator Nancy and learn 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 and Mooncakes Mean Family by Benson Shum.

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 | 2pm – 5pm

  • 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.
  • Hou Yi’s Sun Toss: Be a hero like Hou Yi! Toss bean bags to shoot down nine of the ten suns and save the Earth from drought!
  • Mooncake Matching & more! 

Harvest Moon Picnic | 2pm – 5pm
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 | 2pm – 5pm
Soak up the limelight (or moonlight!) at MOCA's 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.

DROP-IN ARTS & CRAFTS, 2pm – 5pm
 
Light the Night!
Lanterns are lit and carried to celebrate the brightness of the moon during this time of year. Make the night even brighter by making and embellishing your very own Jade-Rabbit inspired lantern!
 
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.
 
Everlasting Elixirs
Prepare your own version of the magical elixir that lifted Chang’E from Earth to the moon! Using a little bit of science and a little bit of shimmer, create a potion that’s sure to stir up some Mid-Autumn magic.
 
Make-Believe Mooncakes
Mooncakes come in countless shapes, sizes, & patterns. Explore intricate mooncake designs, pick your favorite, and mold a clay mooncake of your using real mooncake molds.
 
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.
 
*Space is limited. **While supplies last.
** Activity dates/times are subject to change. Please click through to the activity website to verify.