Photo of mooncakes

Asian Mid-Autumn Festival

All Case Western Reserve University students are invited to celebrate Asian Mid-Autumn Festival with the Center for International Affairs Tuesday, Sept. 21 from 3 to 5 p.m. on the Kelvin Smith Library Oval.

The center will hand out free mooncakes and rabbit stress balls. There also will be live rabbits and a rabbit-petting station, activities, giveaways and more.

The Asian Mid-Autumn Festival is a celebration of a successful harvest throughout much of Eastern Asia and is enjoyed by bringing together families and friends. It goes by many names, including Tet Trung Thu, Tsukimi and Chuseok.

Traditions vary but often include celebrating the harvest of rice and wheat by eating special desserts like mooncakes, sharing stories and hanging lanterns. The moon is an important part of the holiday, and it’s common for celebrations to take place at night to provide an opportunity to enjoy it. The rabbit is a popular symbol of the festival based on Chinese mythology.For more information about how the holiday is celebrated around the world, check out the Kelvin Smith Library’s Asian Mid-Autumn Festival Resource Guide and the center’s collection of videos on the event website.