Festival Photos are here! SWFCA 2026 Mid-Autumn Festival
Thank You for a Wonderful Mid-Autumn Celebration!
感谢大家共度美好的中秋佳节！
亲爱的朋友们及家人们：
谨代表西南佛州华人协会，衷心感谢大家对我们中秋庆祝活动的热情支持！很高兴能与大家相聚湖滨公园（Lakes Park），共享美食、交流文化、畅叙友情，共度欢乐时光。我们知道有些朋友未能到场，虽然遗憾未能相见，但期待在今后的活动中与您相聚！
特别感谢每一位带来美食与大家分享的朋友！一道道美味佳肴承载着大家的心意，让这场中秋百家宴充满了家庭团聚般的温暖。
中秋佳节寄托着团圆与情谊。感恩有大家，让我们的社区更加温暖、更加紧密相连。
向我们的志愿者和文化大使致以诚挚的谢意！感谢你们无私奉献时间、才华与精力。从活动策划、场地布置，到文化体验、精彩表演、摄影记录及活动后的清理，每一个环节都凝聚着你们的用心与付出。正是有了你们，这场庆祝活动才得以顺利举行。
我们也衷心感谢赞助商和捐赠者的慷慨支持。你们的付出为中秋活动增添了光彩，让社区的朋友们共享了一场温馨欢乐的聚会。特别感谢李县警长办公室（Lee County Sheriff’s Office）带来冰淇淋车，为节日增添了一份甜蜜与欢乐，让大家尽享这份美味惊喜！
我们还非常高兴地迎来了协会前任会长 Jerry Ma、Colin Feng、Jinjing Wu 和 Liwen Williams。感谢各位莅临，也感谢你们多年来为协会发展付出的心血与领导贡献。能够与大家共庆佳节，倍感亲切！
诚邀大家继续关注协会，并参与我们的更多活动与项目：
- 2026年中秋庆祝活动： 欣赏活动精彩照片，认识为这次庆祝活动贡献力量的个人与机构！
- FGCU中国文化交流项目： 欢迎以学员或志愿者的身份加入，通过中文、艺术及文化活动，一起学习、分享、增进友谊。
- 未来领袖奖学金计划： 了解我们的奖学金计划，并将这一机会分享给社区中的学生和家庭。
- 重阳节： 了解重阳敬老的传统，以及我们计划于10月18日举办的庆祝活动。
也请大家提前预留时间，参加我们将于 2027年1月30日举办的春节庆祝活动。更多详情即将公布，敬请期待！
再次感谢大家成为我们社区的一分子。期待与大家共同创造更多美好的回忆！
诚挚问候！
Anne Meyer
西南佛州华人协会会长
传承文化 · 连接社区 · 启迪未来
Saturday, September 19, 2026
11:00 AM–3:00 PM
Lakes Park, 7330 Gladiolus Dr., Fort Myers, FL 33908
11:00 AM–3:00 PM
Lakes Park, 7330 Gladiolus Dr., Fort Myers, FL 33908
Event Location
Meet Our Mid-Autumn Cultural Ambassadors!
Special thanks to our community partners and donors!
Visit our Sponsors page for more sponsor information and sponsorship opportunities!
Everything you want to know about Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival!
WHAT IS THE MID-AUTUMN FESTIVAL?
The Mid-Autumn Festival is one of the most important traditional festivals in Chinese culture. It is celebrated on the 15th day of the eighth month of the traditional Chinese calendar, during the season of the full moon. For centuries, the full moon has represented completeness, reunion and togetherness. Families gather, share food, admire the moon and wish one another happiness and prosperity.
THE NAME AND DATE
The Chinese name is 中秋节 — Zhōngqiū Jié, literally “Mid-Autumn Festival.” It is also called the Moon Festival or Mooncake Festival. It falls on the 15th day of the eighth month of the traditional Chinese calendar, usually in September or early October. The eighth month is the middle of the traditional autumn season, which explains the name. In 2026, the festival falls on Friday, September 25.
WHAT IT MEANS
Three themes are central:
WHY THE MOON MATTERS
A round, full moon suggests wholeness and reunion. Even when relatives live far apart, looking at the same moon can become a way of remembering and feeling connected to one another. At Mid-Autumn, the moon reminds us of the people we love, the homes we remember and the joy of being together.
MOONCAKES
月饼 — Yuèbǐng, or mooncakes, are the festival’s signature food. Their round shape symbolizes the full moon, completeness and family reunion. They are rich pastries, often round, with a decorative surface and a dense filling. Common fillings include lotus-seed paste, red-bean paste, nuts and seeds, and salted egg yolk. Contemporary versions may feature chocolate, ice cream, or other flavors. They are often cut into small wedges and served with tea.
THE LEGEND OF CHANG'E
One famous Mid-Autumn legend tells of the archer Hou Yi and his wife, Chang'e. Hou Yi received an elixir of immortality. In a widely told version of the story, Chang'e drank it and rose to the moon, where she became separated from her husband. Hou Yi looked toward the moon and set out foods she loved in remembrance of her. Over generations, the story of Chang'e became deeply associated with the Mid-Autumn Festival.
Chang’e flying to the moon — 嫦娥奔月. In one popular version:
MEET THE JADE RABBIT
The Jade Rabbit — 玉兔, Yùtù is another familiar lunar character. In Chinese folklore, it is often shown using a mortar and pestle to prepare an elixir of immortality. This helps explain why rabbits appear so often on Mid-Autumn decorations, lanterns, and children’s crafts. The Moon Goddess and Jade Rabbit are frequently introduced together in festival storytelling.
HOW WE CELEBRATE
Customs vary by family and region, but familiar activities include:
REGIONAL DIFFERENCES
There is much more variety than a single festival description suggests. Hong Kong’s Tai Hang Fire Dragon Dance, for example, features a dragon covered in glowing incense sticks. It is a particular local tradition, rather than something all Chinese families practice. Elsewhere in Asia, related autumn celebrations have their own identities:
CHINESE GREETINGS AND USEFUL WORDS
Today, Mid-Autumn is celebrated around the world. Here in Southwest Florida, we celebrate by sharing Chinese culture, welcoming our community and creating new memories together.
Helpful Resources:
Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall
National Heritage Board
Hong Kong Tourism Board
The Mid-Autumn Festival is one of the most important traditional festivals in Chinese culture. It is celebrated on the 15th day of the eighth month of the traditional Chinese calendar, during the season of the full moon. For centuries, the full moon has represented completeness, reunion and togetherness. Families gather, share food, admire the moon and wish one another happiness and prosperity.
THE NAME AND DATE
The Chinese name is 中秋节 — Zhōngqiū Jié, literally “Mid-Autumn Festival.” It is also called the Moon Festival or Mooncake Festival. It falls on the 15th day of the eighth month of the traditional Chinese calendar, usually in September or early October. The eighth month is the middle of the traditional autumn season, which explains the name. In 2026, the festival falls on Friday, September 25.
WHAT IT MEANS
Three themes are central:
- Reunion: The round moon represents completeness and family togetherness.
- Gratitude: The festival’s roots include giving thanks for the harvest.
- Connection across distance: Looking at the same moon offers a comforting way to think about people we miss.
WHY THE MOON MATTERS
A round, full moon suggests wholeness and reunion. Even when relatives live far apart, looking at the same moon can become a way of remembering and feeling connected to one another. At Mid-Autumn, the moon reminds us of the people we love, the homes we remember and the joy of being together.
MOONCAKES
月饼 — Yuèbǐng, or mooncakes, are the festival’s signature food. Their round shape symbolizes the full moon, completeness and family reunion. They are rich pastries, often round, with a decorative surface and a dense filling. Common fillings include lotus-seed paste, red-bean paste, nuts and seeds, and salted egg yolk. Contemporary versions may feature chocolate, ice cream, or other flavors. They are often cut into small wedges and served with tea.
THE LEGEND OF CHANG'E
One famous Mid-Autumn legend tells of the archer Hou Yi and his wife, Chang'e. Hou Yi received an elixir of immortality. In a widely told version of the story, Chang'e drank it and rose to the moon, where she became separated from her husband. Hou Yi looked toward the moon and set out foods she loved in remembrance of her. Over generations, the story of Chang'e became deeply associated with the Mid-Autumn Festival.
Chang’e flying to the moon — 嫦娥奔月. In one popular version:
- Ten suns appear in the sky, scorching the earth.
- The archer Hou Yi — 后羿 shoots down nine, saving the world.
- He receives an elixir of immortality and entrusts it to his wife, Chang’e — 嫦娥.
- When someone tries to steal it, Chang’e drinks it to prevent the theft.
- She rises to the moon, becoming separated from her husband.
MEET THE JADE RABBIT
The Jade Rabbit — 玉兔, Yùtù is another familiar lunar character. In Chinese folklore, it is often shown using a mortar and pestle to prepare an elixir of immortality. This helps explain why rabbits appear so often on Mid-Autumn decorations, lanterns, and children’s crafts. The Moon Goddess and Jade Rabbit are frequently introduced together in festival storytelling.
HOW WE CELEBRATE
Customs vary by family and region, but familiar activities include:
- Family gatherings - Sharing a meal and spending time together
- Moon appreciation - 赏月 Sitting outdoors and enjoying the moon
- Sharing mooncakes - Cutting pastries into portions to enjoy together
- Giving mooncakes - Bringing or sending boxes to relatives, friends, and colleagues
- Lantern activities - Carrying, displaying, or making decorative lanterns
- Community celebrations - Cultural performances, storytelling, and activities for children Mooncakes, pomelos, tea, and children’s lanterns are particularly familiar features of celebrations
REGIONAL DIFFERENCES
There is much more variety than a single festival description suggests. Hong Kong’s Tai Hang Fire Dragon Dance, for example, features a dragon covered in glowing incense sticks. It is a particular local tradition, rather than something all Chinese families practice. Elsewhere in Asia, related autumn celebrations have their own identities:
- Vietnam’s Tết Trung Thu places special emphasis on children and lantern celebrations.
- Korea’s Chuseok emphasizes family gatherings and ancestral remembrance.
- Japan’s Tsukimi centers on moon viewing.
CHINESE GREETINGS AND USEFUL WORDS
- 中秋节快乐！Zhōngqiū Jié kuàilè! Happy Mid-Autumn Festival!
- 中秋快乐！Zhōngqiū kuàilè! Happy Mid-Autumn!
- 阖家团圆！Héjiā tuányuán! Wishing your whole family a joyful reunion!
- 团圆Tuányuán Reunion; coming together
- 月亮Yuèliang Moon
- 月饼Yuèbǐng Mooncake
- 灯笼Dēnglong Lantern
- 赏月Shǎngyuè Admiring the moon
Today, Mid-Autumn is celebrated around the world. Here in Southwest Florida, we celebrate by sharing Chinese culture, welcoming our community and creating new memories together.
Helpful Resources:
Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall
National Heritage Board
Hong Kong Tourism Board