The 2024 Birmingham Mid Autumn Festival brought a weekend packed with spectacular performances and exciting activities that just couldn’t be missed.

With Lion and Dragon dances at the centre of activities, vibrant traditional cultural performances, face painting, lantern making, fan crafting, cultural dance workshops, Chinese calligraphy classes, an open Chinese school and activities galore were central at the Birmingham Conference & Events Centre as, with it being the hub for everything representing the far eastern nation, it highlighted all that is great and colourful that the culture has brought to the UK’s second city.

As people had the opportunity to dive into the vibrant traditions of Chinese dance, music and lifestyle, this was a perfect opportunity to experience the magic of ancient art forms as majestic dragons weaved their way through excited crowds for another unforgettable weekend of celebration. Following the hugely success of event last year, this special two-day event offered a Moon Festival Market, where people tried out traditional Moon Cakes and dressed up in traditional Chinese costumes, as well as being able to shop for traditional handmade wooden items, jewellery and natural wellness products.

Organised by the Birmingham Chinese Festival Committee, M.D. of the Chung Ying Restaurant Group, James B. Wong, presented this 15th day of the eighth lunar month, which was also being observed in Japan, Singapore, Vietnam, Thailand, Taiwan, Korea, Cambodia, Indonesia and Malaysia. Centred around Hippodrome Square and the Birmingham Conference and Events Centre, the two-day Mid Autumn Festival event was hosted by the Southside BID.

The full moon – also known as the Harvest Moon - is central to the celebrations, with the Harvest Moon set to be visible on September 29 this year.