Botanical Gdn. Hosts Celebration
The New York Chinese Cultural Center will present its annual Moon Festival at Queens Botanical Garden this Sunday, Sept. 30.
Moon Festival celebrations, though still relatively new to the U.S., have been held throughout Asia for well over 1,000 years. This holiday is a time to reflect upon the bounty of the summer harvest, the fullness of the moon, and the myth of the immortal moon Goddess, Chang O.
The Moon Festival is often compared to a sort of “Chinese Thanksgiving” because of its spirit of gratitude and its inclusion of abundant food-including the popular moon cake. Moon cakes are flaky, round, semi-sweet pastries often filled with bean or lotus-seed paste and topped with a duck egg, echoing the shape of the full moon. Many millions of moon cakes are gifted around the time of the Moon Festival.
The Moon Festival, sponsored by AT&T, will start with 60 minutes of arts & craft activities where children and parents can try Chinese paper cutting and creating dough figurines. On stage, there will be a full line-up of classic and folk dance performances and music. The outdoor stage will be set up on the Oak Allee of Queens Botanical Garden. Families are encouraged to bring picnic blankets and summer chairs to enjoy the performances.
All programs are free with garden admission to the general public.
The New York Chinese Cultural Center has produced annual Lunar New Year Festivals for 24 consecutive years to sold-out audiences. It is the first time the center is bringing this program to Queens Botanical Garden.
Founded in 1974, the New York Chinese Cultural Center is a performing arts and educational organization that promotes the understanding and appreciation of Chinese culture through education and the arts. For over 37 years, it has accomplished its mission by offering professional classes, workshops, and performances in traditional dance, arts, and culture.
Through its assembly program, the New York Chinese Cultural Center performances have traveled to 26 states and reached over 150,000 people every year. They have been featured on nationally televised programs such as the National Geographic, NBC’s Today, the 73rd Annual Academy Awards and the PBS special The Chinese Americans, reaching millions of American viewers.
For more information about the Sept. 30 Moon Festival at Queens Botanical Garden, visit www.nychineseculturalcenter.org or call 1-212- 334-3764.
