Saanichites are embracing the dark days of fall and winter as the annual Moon Festival Lantern Celebration returns to Gordon Head Recreation Centre and Lambrick Park tonight.
The Moon Festival is free. Children of all ages and cultures share in a cross-cultural creative celebration by designing their own lanterns in the early evening, then parading them around at dusk and dark.
There are traditional Asian dance and musical performances by community groups, lantern making and a sampling of mooncakes and traditional green teas. It all marks the harvest moon, a cultural practice celebrated by many Asian cultures around the world.
The evening starts at 5 p.m. with lantern-making workshops. The cost is $4 and materials and a light are included.
At dusk, around 7:25 p.m. tonight, the illuminations begin until 7:45 p.m.
Reminder to dress creatively, and for the weather, and to bring your own creative lantern (battery-lit) or make one in our lantern making station.
There will also be food trucks on site.
Saanich is offering three prizes of $50 to lanterns created by individuals or community groups and brought to the event. Lanterns should be hand-made, battery-lit and showcase creativity should be portable enough to carry with ease.
Schedule:
5 – 5:15 Chinese Choir
5:15-5:30 Sanpaguita Dancers
5:30-5:45 Victoria Chinese Seniors Assoc
5:45-6:00 Furusato Dancers
6:05-6:20 Victoria Chinese Dance Academy
6:20-6:35 Victoria Chinese Performing Arts
6:35-6:50 Korean Performing Arts
6:50-7:05 Sunshine Dancers
7:05-7:20 Peking Opera
reporter@saanichnews.com
