CELEBRATE CHINESE MID-AUTUMN FESTIVAL IN RICHMOND, BC

Popular fall festival is second only to Chinese New Year as the most colourful time to visit Richmond

Richmond, B.C., Canada (September 12, 2013) – Brightly coloured lanterns and rich, tasty mooncakes have returned to Richmond, British Columbia – two telltale signs that the Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival is just around the corner. This ancient Chinese festival, one of the most widely celebrated harvest festivals in the world, originally began as a time to celebrate the season's crops, with offerings made in honour of the moon, a symbol of harmony and unity. It’s given a modern treatment in Richmond – North America’s most Asian city with a 65 per cent Asian population and the largest number of Chinese descendants in Canada. The rising of the harvest moon is now an occasion for reunions with family and friends, feasting and mooncakes.

Visitors to Richmond can join in the festivities by booking the Harvest Moon Guestroom Rate at the award-winning Fairmont Vancouver Airport hotel, from now until September 30. The $229 celebratory rate will get guests close to all the action so they can experience the best of this Far East meets Canadian West Coast destination. Whether checking in to the Fairmont or not, visitors can get a taste of the celebrations with their exquisite specially-made mooncakes.

The Mid-Autumn Festival is held on the 15th day of the eighth month in the Chinese calendar; in 2013, it falls on Thursday, September 19. Here’s how to celebrate in Richmond:

Eat Your Way Through a Multitude of Mooncakes
There’s a reason the Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival is playfully referred to as the Mooncake Festival – the festival is for lunar worship, and these delicacies are inextricably linked to this annual celebration. In Chinese culture, the sharing of round mooncakes symbolizes the completeness and unity of families. Traditional mooncakes also have a thin outer crust that’s stamped with the Chinese character for "longevity." The inside is infused with auspicious ingredients like lotus seed paste and salted duck egg yolk which, when the mooncake is cut in half, resembles the full Harvest moon. Many of Richmond’s bakeries and restaurants – over 400 of which are Asian – offer varieties with all types of tasty centres including taro, green tea, chocolate, sesame seed, mango, red bean, and many more. Popular spots for mooncakes include Kam Do Bakery on Alexandra Road or "Food Street", St Germain Bakery at Aberdeen Centre, and Osaka Supermarket in Yaohan Centre. Just like ice cream, you’ll have to keep trying until you find your favourite flavour – mooncakes are best enjoyed in small quantities and paired with a good quality Jasmine green tea. 

Enjoy a Magical Experience of Lights, Lanterns, Music and Dance
There’s a second sign that the Mid-Autumn Festival has arrived: colourful Chinese lanterns are illuminating Richmond’s bustling Golden Village. To accentuate the brightness of the moon, you’ll spot vibrant lanterns hanging from the streets, in shop windows and inside Richmond’s three Hong Kong-style malls. Festive events abound throughout the city, including music and dance celebrations atAberdeen Centre, September 14 and 15, and the Richmond Chinese Community Society’s annual Mid-Autumn Festival Celebration on September 15. Both celebrations will showcase multicultural performances alongside sweet festive treats, and brightly lit lanterns.

Feast with Friends and Family on "the best Chinese food outside of China" 
During this time of year, families and friends will gather together at a Chinese restaurant for an elaborate multi-course feast. Special group me
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