Top interesting activities on mid autumn festival must try in 2023

Mid-Autumn Festival is not only a time for everyone to gather and bond, but also a night of the Full Moon Festival with numerous exciting activities. Fun and lively events bring everyone together under the round moon. Mid-Autumn Festival, featuring captivating lion dances and musical performances, has long been an integral part of the season. As the Full Moon Festival approaches, do you wonder which activities on Mid-autumn festival to engage in with your loved ones? Let’s join Thien Moc Huong as we explore 7 special activities for this occasion!

I. Discovering the legend of Mid-autumn festival in Vietnam

The legend of the Mid-Autumn Festival is filled with intriguing stories that every child wishes to hear from their parents. According to ancient tradition, the full moon celebration dates back to the Tang Dynasty in China. Later on, this festival spread to neighboring countries, including Vietnam.

The date of the Mid-Autumn Festival in Vietnam isn’t tied to a specific time; it’s known that our ancestors followed this tradition hundreds of years ago. According to ancient customs, as this day arrives, every alley is filled with a festive atmosphere and numerous delightful activities.

II. Activities on Mid-autumn festival

1. Lion dance – Activities Mid-autumn festival

While the Chinese often organize lion dances during the Lunar New Year, Vietnamese specifically have lion or dragon dances for the Mid-Autumn Festival. The lion symbolizes good luck. In ancient times, Vietnamese also performed “Trống Quân” songs during the festival, which followed a rhythmic pattern of “thình, thùng, thình.”

Young men and women used the “Trống Quân” songs to serenade under the full moon, especially on the eighth lunar month.

2. Connecting people on Mid-Autumn festival 

Men and women sang in response to each other, both for entertainment and to find lifelong partners. They used poetry set in ‘lục bát’ or a variant meter for singing.

Though the Mid-Autumn Festival started as an adult’s event to savor nature’s beauty, eat mooncakes, and drink tea while moon-watching, it gradually became a children’s festival. Yet, adults still participate actively.

Children get to parade with lanterns, sing, share in the feast arranged by their parents, and, most importantly, enjoy treats without reprimands.

In essence, the Mid-Autumn Festival is profoundly meaningful. It embodies care, gratitude, friendship, reunion, and love.

3. Lantern parade and lantern-making contest

“Carrying lanterns, bright with five colorful wings…” These lyrics capture the essence of the traditional lantern parade on Mid-Autumn Festival day for children. Crafting lanterns from simple paper fosters their creativity, dexterity, unity, and love, allowing them to create their own innovative five-winged lanterns. They line up, follow each other, sing while parading through streets, accompanied by lion dances, and two well-known characters, Sister Hang and Uncle Cuoi, enhancing the excitement and joy for the little ones.

4. Traditional folk games – Activities Mid-autumn festival

Engaging in folk games is an indispensable activity during every Mid-Autumn Festival. Physical games like tug-of-war, blindfolded drum beating, sack races, and cat and mouse chase are integral to this celebration. These games are intertwined with childhood memories, forging connections with youngsters, fostering interaction, building self-confidence, and offering enticing rewards. Adults cheer on the little ones, infusing the Mid-Autumn atmosphere with liveliness.

5. Mid-Autumn feast display contest

Amid the Full Moon Festival, both the lanterns and the Mid-Autumn feast hold significance. The traditional Vietnamese Mid-Autumn feast comprises an array of distinct fruits, including grapefruits, red apples, and dragon fruit, alongside watermelon, lychee, guava, orange, purple sugarcane, and honeydew. Children participate in a team contest to select and arrange fruits provided by the organizers. With 60 minutes, they showcase creativity in decorating the feast display and prepare a presentation about their chosen theme. This activity enhances creativity and fosters unity among the participants.

6. Activities for Mid-autumn festival – Singing and comedy performances contest

Amidst a variety of programs and activities, the singing and comedy performances by children are unmissable. In this segment, children freely sing and showcase their talents, with songs related to Mid-Autumn Festival like “The Five-Winged Lantern,” “August Lantern Parade,” “The Legendary Moon”… and more.

III. FAQs about Activities on mid autumn festival

Conclusion

Mid-Autumn Festival with traditional and special activities will help the whole family have time together, bond and love more. Mid-Autumn Festival is approaching, enjoy these exciting activities with your family to save memorable memories.