The 11th annual Moon Festival drew crowds to New Century in Port Jervis, N.Y., on Sept. 19 and 20 for a weekend of food, performances and cultural traditions.
The free festival offered a wide range of cultural experiences, including Asian street food, traditional arts, music, dance, children’s activities and cultural displays. Vendors served dishes representing China, Taiwan, Vietnam, Thailand, the Philippines and other regions, while performances featured dragon and lion dances, classical Chinese dance and traditional music.
Quan Sha, one of the main organizers, said the festival has grown in size and popularity over its 11 years, with attendance continuing to increase. This year featured two themed “town and village” areas designed to create a sense of historic communities.
“We want to show the best part of Chinese culture to this community,” Sha said, adding that organizers also hope to share values such as kindness and tolerance.
The festival also highlighted traditional Chinese painting, jade carving and two major art exhibitions. Sha said the exhibits offered visitors an opportunity to experience the richness of Chinese culture.
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Food remained a major attraction, with more than 200 vendors offering Chinese, Western and international selections.
Visitors discover new cultures
For many visitors, the festival was an opportunity to experience something new.
Colleen Jarnicki and her husband, Joe, traveled from the Old Forge area of Pennsylvania after seeing information about the festival on Facebook. It was their first time attending.
“We love to go to festivals on the weekends,” Jarnicki said. “We’re always looking for something different.”
She said the food and performances were among her favorite parts of the day. She also enjoyed learning about the story behind the Moon Festival.
“It’s really nice,” she said, describing the festival as offering many cultural differences, different foods to try and “a very nice atmosphere and feeling.”
Her husband said the pot stickers were among his favorites and noted that, despite the large crowd, the food lines moved efficiently.
Another first-time visitor, Brianna, attended with her parents, aunt and other family members. Coming from New York City and with Salvadoran heritage, she said her family enjoys learning about different cultures.
“It’s a wonderful experience,” she said.
She particularly enjoyed trying different dumplings, Chinese pancakes and Chinese burgers, and said she would return next year.
Margret, who has attended the festival for about nine years, said she keeps coming because it brings people together and allows the community to share different cultures and values.
She said she enjoyed seeing different ethnic groups perform, along with classical Chinese dance, traditional Chinese instruments and traditional Chinese clothing.
“The whole community” comes together through the combination of performances and cultural activities, she said.
Vendors find a place to connect
The festival also provided an opportunity for small businesses and local vendors to introduce themselves to new audiences.
Jeanann Schneider, a Pennsylvania-based artisan fudge vendor who lives locally, participated for the first time. She said she was looking for opportunities to become more engaged with the community.
“I think that it’s a really amazing opportunity to bring individuals together and celebrate culture,” Schneider said. “It’s important to have an understanding.”
John Michael of Embrace & Enjoy Healing, who recently started his business, brought laser-engraved wood products as well as crystal and Reiki-related offerings. For him, the festival was a way to introduce his new business to the community.
“It’s a good way to get introduced into the community and for the community to see me,” he said.
Julia Rose, a Chinese medicine practitioner who has practiced for 24 years, also participated for the first time. As someone who is half Asian and practices Chinese medicine, she said the festival was “the perfect fit.”
She particularly appreciated seeing many non-Asian visitors attending to learn about and enjoy Asian culture.
“I love that there’s so many non-Asians who come to learn and enjoy,” Rose said. “I think it’s really important here.”
Bringing communities together
The festival’s community-wide appeal was also reflected at a VIP reception hosted for the first time in partnership with the Hudson Valley Asian American Chamber of Commerce (HVAACC).
Robert Feinberg, founder and CEO of It’s Not a Pain Inc., attended as an invited VIP. He described the festival as a way of “building different cultures together and uniting together,” adding that he enjoyed meeting people and experiencing different foods and vendors.
Owen Bosnick, representing Assemblymember Paula Elaine Kay, said he had attended the festival even before joining Kay’s office and had watched it grow over the years.
“It’s so great how big it’s got,” Bosnick said. He described the event as important because it brings people together and helps break down barriers between different communities.
New York State Assemblymember Karl Brabenec, who has attended the festival throughout its 11-year history, called it “a tremendous activity for the community.”
He said the festival has grown into a cultural community event attracting people from throughout the Tri-State area and creating opportunities for small businesses.
“All nationalities [are] coming together, sharing their culture, sharing their vision for the future and prosperity and happiness,” Brabenec said.
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