Countdown
How many days until Mid-Autumn Festival?
🥮 Friday, September 25, 2026
54 days until Mid-Autumn Festival
About Mid-Autumn Festival
The Mid-Autumn Festival, also known as the Moon Festival, is one of the most important traditional festivals in Chinese culture and is celebrated in many parts of East and Southeast Asia. The festival honors the harvest season, family reunions, and the beauty of the full moon, which is traditionally considered brightest and roundest at this time of year. It has been observed for centuries and is associated with well-known legends, including the story of Chang'e, the Moon Goddess, as well as the Jade Rabbit and the woodcutter Wu Gang. While these legends enrich the festival's cultural heritage, the central themes today are togetherness, gratitude, and appreciation of the autumn harvest. The festival follows the traditional Chinese lunisolar calendar and is celebrated on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month. Because the lunar calendar does not align exactly with the Gregorian calendar, the festival's date changes every year, usually falling between mid-September and early October. The use of a lunisolar calendar keeps the celebration connected to the harvest season while allowing the Gregorian date to shift annually. Families commonly gather for reunion dinners before spending the evening admiring the full moon. Mooncakes, the festival's signature pastry, are shared among relatives, friends, and business associates as symbols of unity and good fortune. Lantern displays, cultural performances, dragon dances, and public festivals are held in many cities, while children often carry colorful lanterns during nighttime celebrations. In Vietnam, the occasion is also closely associated with children's festivities and lantern parades. A common misconception is that the Mid-Autumn Festival is celebrated only in China. In reality, it is widely observed in places such as Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau, Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, and Chinese communities across the world. Although customs differ by region, the festival consistently emphasizes family, gratitude, harvest, and the shared enjoyment of the full autumn moon.
Quick facts
- The festival is celebrated on the full moon of the eighth month in the traditional Chinese calendar.
- Mooncakes are traditionally exchanged as gifts and symbolize family unity and completeness.
- The Mid-Autumn Festival is one of the most important traditional festivals in several East and Southeast Asian cultures.
Frequently asked questions
- When is the Mid-Autumn Festival?
- The Mid-Autumn Festival is celebrated on the 15th day of the eighth month of the traditional Chinese lunisolar calendar, so its Gregorian date changes every year.
- Why does the Mid-Autumn Festival have a different date each year?
- The festival follows the Chinese lunisolar calendar rather than the Gregorian calendar, causing its date to vary annually.
- Why are mooncakes eaten during the Mid-Autumn Festival?
- Mooncakes symbolize family unity, completeness, and togetherness, making them the traditional food shared during the festival.
Upcoming Mid-Autumn Festival dates
- Fri, Sep 25, 2026 (next)
- Wed, Sep 15, 2027
- Tue, Oct 3, 2028
- Sat, Sep 22, 2029
Dates on this page are checked against public calendar sources. Spot something wrong? Let us know.