Autumn Moon Festival in San Francisco shines bright with community spirit
SAN FRANCISCO -- The annual Autumn Moon Festival drew locals together, celebrating cultural heritage and community spirit through traditional performances and culinary delights.
Derek Tam, a Chinese dessert maker and fifth-generation craftsman of dragon beard candy, expressed his love for the event, noting how much attendees appreciate his creations.
"You can see the people. They love it," he said.
For Tam, the festival symbolizes familial unity.
"Why it's called the moon festival? Because every time we celebrate it, it means the family is together."
As he expands his family legacy from Hong Kong to the U.S., Tam enjoys demonstrating his unique dessert to those unfamiliar with the treat.
"The people, they never saw here, how they stretch the molasses. Because, you know, the molasses, originally, is a brown color," he explained.
Anna Wong, a children's book author and vendor, echoed the importance of sharing cultural stories. For her, the festival evokes fond childhood memories.
"Growing up, I celebrated the autumn moon festival just by eating moon cakes and so I never really knew the legends. And that was one of the reasons I wrote and illustrated my book. Because there's so much in my culture that I don't know and I'm learning, and I want to share with everyone," she said.
Wong's drive to educate others about her heritage has been propelled by a rise in hate crimes.
"With all that anti-Asian hate, I really wanted to celebrate our culture and take pride in Chinese culture. And that was the catalyst for creating my books," she said.
Both vendors emphasized the significance of sharing their traditions with a broader audience.
"This is a really beautiful hand craft that I want to share with the people. Especially to the culture that is not familiar with this," Tam said.
The festival culminated in an official moon cake cutting with city leaders present, serving as a vibrant reminder of the diverse cultural tapestry that San Francisco continues to celebrate.