On September 17, 2023, the Year of the Dragon aligned beautifully with the Mid-Autumn Festival, leading to a series of vibrant celebrations in cities across Canada.
In Montreal, the Chinese United Association hosted a lively Mid-Autumn Festival gala in Chinatown, attracting over 500 attendees, including Chinese Consul General Dai Yuming and representatives from the local community. The event showcased an array of cultural performances, featuring traditional music, mesmerizing face-changing acts, and choral singing. Reflecting on the significance of the occasion, the association’s president, Cao Shoukang, shared a heartfelt sentiment: no matter where they find themselves, the moon from their homeland shines just as bright, keeping their connections with loved ones strong.
Just a few days earlier, on September 14, the Chinese Consulate in Montreal partnered with local organizations to present the China-Canada Friendship Concert at the picturesque Chinese Garden (Dream Lake Garden) within the Montreal Botanical Garden. This event drew more than 1,500 attendees from varied backgrounds. Talented artists performed globally recognized pieces, while Canadian singers delighted the crowd with Chinese songs. Consul General Dai Yuming even joined the performers for a rendition of “The Song of the Yangtze River.” Guests enjoyed tea tastings and mooncake samplings, while also experiencing performances on traditional instruments like the guzheng and guqin, and trying on Hanfu costumes—immersing themselves in rich cultural experiences.
Dai Yuming emphasized that the concert, featuring talents from both China and Canada, exemplified the cultural exchange between the two nations. He expressed his hopes that the friendship between the peoples of both countries would remain as enduring and luminous as the Mid-Autumn moon.
Meanwhile, in Toronto, several Chinese organizations, including the Canadian Chinese Homestay Association, the Colorful Cultural Exchange Center, and the Canada Strait Cultural Exchange Foundation, came together to co-host a Dragon Year Mid-Autumn Food Carnival from September 13 to 15. The organizing team, consisting of immigrants from both sides of the Taiwan Strait, showcased a giant, 10-meter-wide “moon” as a centerpiece of the event. Smells of delicious food wafted through the air from numerous stalls, and the stage was alive with colorful artistic performances. Deputy Consul General Cheng Hongbo remarked that the Mid-Autumn Festival encapsulates the Chinese values of cherishing family and friendship, as well as a longing for peace and a better life—values that resonate globally, including with the people of Canada.
In addition, the Canadian Chinese Liberal Party Association recently hosted a Mid-Autumn celebration at Splendid China Plaza in Toronto. This event featured exciting performances such as taiko drumming, traditional lion dances, classical Chinese dance, folk music, and nostalgic songs in both English and Chinese, encouraging audience participation through a raffle.
In Calgary’s Chinatown, the Calgary Chinese Cultural Centre organized a festive Mid-Autumn celebration that included a night market, cultural entertainment, a delectable variety of foods, fire dragon dances, and dragon lantern parades. The center is also planning a three-day celebration in collaboration with the National Music Centre, promising a blend of Eastern and Western musical performances, a pop-up market, singing contests, and a multitude of engaging activities.
Furthermore, cities like Ottawa and Vancouver hosted their own Mid-Autumn festivities, featuring food, music events, and the “Together Under the Moon” celebration, bringing communities together in a spirit of unity and festivity.
