Celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival with the KU Center for East Asian Studies

LAWRENCE — The KU Center for East Asian Studies and Student Union Activities will host the 2024 Mid-Autumn Festival from 6 to 8 p.m. Sept. 17 at the Kansas Union. This free, all-ages event is open to the entire Lawrence community.

The Mid-Autumn Festival is celebrated across many East Asian countries and cultures, each with their special traditions. Japan celebrates Otsukimi, Korea celebrates Chuseok, China celebrates Zhong Qiu Jie, and Vietnam celebrates Tết Trung Thu, with many more East and Southeast countries also having their version of the festival.  

This year’s festival will include performances by Three Trails Taiko (Japanese drum group), House of Dragons (K-pop/hip hop dance) and KU Lion Dance Club. The event also will feature East Asian folktales, face-painting, coloring, lantern-making, games and more. 

Schedule:

• 6-8 p.m. East Asian Folktales (videos) and coloring in the Traditions Lounge, fourth level of the Kansas Union.
• 6-8 pm Face-painting in front of the KU Natural History Museum.
• 6:30 p.m. House of Dragons.
• 7 p.m. Three Trails Taiko.
• 7:30 p.m. KU Lion Dance Club.

The center will provide free mooncakes for the first 500 attendees and a free raffle for all. There will be additional food sold by student organizations including matcha tea, mochi cake, rice balls (onigiri) and fried rice.

Attendees are encouraged to wear traditional attire no matter what their culture or country of origin and to register for the Mid-Autumn Festival Contest on Instagram.