RANCHO CORDOVA, CA (MPG) – Vibrantly decorated lanterns hung from trees on Saturday, Oct. 4 as the community gathered for a celebration of the Mid-Autumn Festival, hosted by SF Supermarket at 2738 Sunrise Blvd. from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The free event offered a blend of cultural traditions, food and family-friendly activities for all ages.

The festival, which marked the end of the autumn harvest, featured a variety of activities designed to showcase the community’s diversity and celebrate cultural heritage. Lion dance performances, a Rolly Wagas Band concert and karaoke provided entertainment, while the food court served both ethnic and American delicacies. One highlight was the lantern giveaway, where the first 500 children received a complimentary lantern to celebrate the occasion.

The Mid-Autumn Festival, known in some parts of Asia as the Moon Festival, is a time to reflect on the harvest and give thanks for the year’s successes while looking ahead to the future.

The festival featured a lantern drawing contest that encouraged children of all ages to design their own lanterns. Once completed, their creations were hung around the supermarket. Photo courtesy of SF Supermarket

“Each Asian culture celebrates differently,” said Mai Nguyen, SF Supermarket community engagement director. “According to the lunar calendar, the festival falls on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month. It’s a celebration of the moon and a time for families to sit together, drink tea, eat mooncakes and celebrate the harvest.”

The Mid-Autumn Festival is often depicted as a children's holiday, a time to honor family, share food and tell stories. Nguyen explained that one such story told during the festival is that of Cuội. According to legend, Cuội was a farmer who, during a severe drought, desperately tried to save a magical tree that floated to the moon. In his attempts to pull the tree back to Earth, Cuội himself was swept away, becoming stranded on the moon. Now, every year during the festival, families light lanterns in hopes of guiding Cuội home.

“The festival is about honoring the moon, the harvest and wishing for prosperity in the coming year," Nguyen said. “It’s also about sharing our culture, especially with our children, and giving back to the community.”

The event's inclusion of a lantern drawing contest highlighted this spirit of creativity and cultural exchange.

The SF Supermarket family laid out 200 boxes of mooncakes to give away at the Mid-Autumn Festival. Photo by Ornella Rossi

The festival featured a lantern drawing that encouraged children of all ages to design their own lanterns. There were four contest categories: primary (pre-K to second grade), intermediate (third- to fifth-grade), middle school (sixth- to eighth-grade) and high school (ninth- to 12th-grade). Submissions, both 2D and 3D, were displayed at SF Supermarket, with winning entries receiving a prominent display for an entire year. Gift cards to the food court were awarded to the top three winners in each category.

The contest was a major draw for local families.

“It’s fun to see all the cool lanterns,” said 9-year-old Ahn Lee, a participant in the contest. “I added hearts and stars to my lantern.”

The event’s community spirit was reinforced by the involvement of local organizations such as Soroptimist International of Rancho Cordova and Gold River, which helped sponsor the lantern drawing contest.

“We are an international organization, so we like helping to promote cultural traditions from our community,” said the Soroptimist group’s Vice President Sheryl Longsworth. “The lantern contest is an important part of the Mid-Autumn Festival and we want to inspire kids to be creative.”

Young children were encouraged to participate in traditional dances at the Mid-Autumn Festival. Photo courtesy of SF Supermarket

No Mid-Autumn Festival is complete without mooncakes, a traditional pastry filled with sweet or savory fillings. These round cakes, often adorned with intricate designs, are symbolic of family unity and completeness. At the event, 200 boxes of mooncakes were given away to festivalgoers. The cakes serve as both a gift and a gesture of good fortune.

Helen, daughter of the SF Supermarket owners, explained that the festival was not only about honoring tradition but also about promoting cultural understanding.

“We want to bring people together,” Helen said. “It’s nice to have different cultures and learn new things. The festival is an opportunity to show the community what we have to offer and share the beauty of our heritage. It’s about bringing people together and celebrating all the different cultures that make up our community."

Attendees smile alongside performers for a group photo. Photo courtesy of SF Supermarket

SF Supermarket, which opened on Nov. 15, 2024 in Rancho Cordova, has become a hub for cultural exchange and a platform for local businesses.

“This event also helps small businesses,” Nguyen said. “We wanted to open up space for local vendors, especially home product businesses that may not have had the chance to showcase their goods otherwise. The most important thing is cross-cultural sharing. It takes everyone coming together to make this happen."