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Chinatown Autumn Moon Festival 2024
by Jill Loeffler •
The Chinatown Autumn Moon Festival is a yearly celebration in San Francisco. The 2024 event is a two-day celebration on September 14 & 15 and runs from 11 am - 5 pm both days.
This colorful event features a parade, live entertainment, arts & crafts, and a variety of food and drinks.
In my experience, this event gets VERY crowded due to its popularity. Prepare yourself for the crowds and a slow walk through the event.
If you plan to head over for the opening day parade, I recommend arriving at least 15 to 20 minutes early to get a spot along the route, as this festival kick-off draws in a huge audience.
All activities take place along Grant Avenue in the heart of Chinatown from California to Broadway.
This is part of the parade for the annual Chinatown Autumn Moon Festival. It's a small, short parade but offers a number of colorful entries.This festival started in San Francisco to rebuild excitement in the district after the 1989 Earthquake. It revitalized the community and is now an annual event.
You will find it every year on the fifteenth day of the lunar calendar's eighth month. This is when the moon is full and bright, which means it is time to celebrate!
Disclaimer: I receive a small commission from some of the links on this page.
The Opening Parade
The Chinatown Autumn Moon Festival kicks off with a parade down Grant Avenue. It starts at California Street at Grant Avenue at 11 am.
The parade is short, with just a few entries, but it's colorful, vibrant, and a lot of fun. It usually runs down Grant Avenue until around Pacific.
I attend as often as I can and usually, the crowds gather about 20 minutes before it starts.
About five minutes before the parade, the sidewalks and streets are packed with people.
The parade features traditional costumes, lion dancers (one of my favorites!), and ribbon dancers. You will also see a marching band, giant pandas, and more.
Here are some pictures from previous years.
I took this during the last Chinatown Autumn Moon Festival parade. It gives a great look at these costumes' detail and bright colors.
The best place to watch this parade is near the end, around Grant and Jackson Streets.
Other Fun Tours & Activities in Chinatown
The Street Fair
The street fair also draws in a large crowd. This was toward the beginning of the day and it gets more crowded as each day progresses.During the Chinatown Autumn Moon Festival, you will find many additional activities along Grant Avenue between California and Broadway.
On both days, you will find around 200 arts and crafts booths, food stands, and other entertainment.
Since there is so much to see, many of the restaurants have open-air seating, so you can enjoy the festival and enjoying the delicious food.
Admission to the street fair is free.
Live Entertainment
Make sure to also head over to the main stage at Grant Avenue at Sacramento Street for additional entertainment.
There are about 8 to 10 performances each day.
You can see more lion dancers, martial arts performances, and groups playing traditional music.
There is also a dumpling eating contest.
Closing Parade
The Chinatown Autumn Moon Festival closes with a small White Crane Dragon Parade. It starts at around 4:30 pm along Grant Avenue.
Places to Stay in Chinatown
Inside Chinatown, you will only find a handful of places to stay. However, you will find dozens just a few blocks away in Union Square. Check out my top recommendations by clicking the links below.
>> Find additional lodging options around San Francisco
The History of The Autumn Moon Festival
There are numerous stories about why the Autumn Moon Festival is so important, but this is the most famous. There was a beautiful girl, Chang E, who lived in the Jade Emperor's palace in Heaven.
Unfortunately, she broke a gorgeous porcelain jar and the Jade Emperor forced her to return to Earth as a punishment. She was told she could only return to Heaven and the Jade Palace if she did help people in need on Earth.
She was then turned into a young girl in a very poor family of farmers. She then became friends with a hunter named Hou Yi. Later, a strange event happened when 10 different suns rose in the sky instead of just one.
This made the Earth incredibly hot and dangerous since it was so bright and was ruining everything. Hou Yi, an excellent archer, shot down the other 9 suns and became a hero. He and Chang E fell in love and became king and queen.
Sadly, Hou Yi let his power go to his head and forgot his humble beginnings and life. He then decided to take the pill called the magical Elixir of Life to become immortal. Chang E happened to find it and took the pill.
No one knows if it was on purpose or by accident. Hou Yi became incredibly angry and started to chase after her. She jumped out of a window and, instead of falling to her death, rose towards the Moon and floated away.
Being that King Hou Yi was still angry, he tried to shoot her down with his bow and arrows, but unlike with the suns, he missed her. When Chang E landed on the moon, she became a three-legged frog as punishment for her misdeed. Her only friend, a rabbit, is constantly making the Elixir of Life pill to remind her of her mistake.
The Cassia tree is on the moon, and a wood cutter constantly tries to cut it down. However, the cassia tree continually heals itself and can never be destroyed. Because of this it is an image of immortal life on Earth for people of the Chinese culture.
In the end, Hour Yi rises to become the sun and builds a palace on it. Chang E continues to live on the moon. And this is where the idea of yin and yang comes from because the sun and moon switch places each day.
Fun Fact: Just before the Apollo 11 spacecraft landed on the moon, there is a recording of Houston CAPCOM telling the astronauts to look out and see if they could find Chang E who had been living on the moon for over 4,000 years. They also said to look out for the giant Chinese rabbit. Michael Collins said, "Okay. We'll keep a close eye out for the bunny girl" in response.
Other Activities in Chinatown
There are so many great things to do in Chinatown. Here are some of my favorite places to explore during my visit to this district.
Chinese Temples: This is one of my favorite activities when I visit Chinatown. All three temples are open to the public and will welcome you with open arms. They are free to visit, although they have a donation box as you leave. It's a great way to learn more about the religious part of this exciting community.
Chinese Historical Society: The Chinese Historical Society is a small museum dedicated to the history of Chinese Americans. You will learn about their struggles to immigrate to the US and the issues they faced once they arrived. It's an eye-opening look into their past.
Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Company: Have you always wondered how fortune cookies are made? If so, then step inside the Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Company. This small factory produces fortune cookies that are sold all over the world by hand. It's free and you can buy some as gifts during your visit.
Places to Stay Around San Francisco
Comments? Questions? Suggestions?
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