Chinatown Autumn Moon Festival 2024 in San Francisco

For ages, the moon has been an object of human curiosity. In Asian celestial cosmology, the moon represents yin in other words—the female principle. So, as the moon was considered feminine during ancient autumn moon festivals, women took mid-position, which made them exclusive to take part in Moon event rituals on the full moon night. When the full moon appeared, women kept making offerings of fruit, candles, flowers, incense, and mooncakes.

Festival Highlights

The Chinese community of San Francisco keeps the traditions. The annual San Francisco Chinatown non-profit street fair takes place in September or October and celebrates the traditional Moon Festival. The fifteenth day of the eighth month of the lunar calendar shows the day when the moon is bright and full, which means it is high time to celebrate.

Activities

The festival started as a way to recover the thrill of joy in the district after the earthquake in 1989. Visitors can expect nonstop entertainment, food vendors, mooncake demonstrations, dumpling eating contests, kids' activities, lion dancing, and much more.

Autumn Moon Festival Parade

The bright and colorful event of Autumn Moon includes endless cultural demonstrations, costumed artisans, giant puppets, Asian entertainment, and arts and crafts vendors. The core event of the celebration - is the Opening parade that typically takes place on Saturday morning, starting from 11 am. On Sunday evening, the celebration closes with the Dragon Parade. As a bonus, the area usually offers a lot of other entertainment, such as acrobats, martial artists, dancers, and performances weekend long.

Dates and Entrance

The 2024 celebration spans two days, taking place on September 14 & 15, with festivities running from 11 am to 5 pm each day. The event is free and welcomes visitors of all ages.

Getting There

All activities are held along Grant Avenue, between California Street and Broadway, in the heart of SF Chinatown. Pacific Avenue between Stockton and Kearny will also be designated as pedestrian-only. Due to the expected large crowds, visitors are strongly encouraged to use public transit. The Montgomery St. Station is the closest train stop; from there, walk four blocks north on Montgomery St., turn left on California, and walk two more blocks to Grant Ave. The Autumn Moon Festival is also accessible via 37 different MUNI routes, including the 1, 30, 45, and the California St. Cable Car. Public parking is available at the Portsmouth Square Garage, located at 773 Kearny St.