Thousands of people came together for the Birmingham Chinatown Mid-Autumn Festival, bringing two days of Chinese culture, music, dance and family celebrations to The Arcadian in Birmingham’s Southside district.
Held over the weekend, the festival attracted visitors from across Birmingham and beyond, with people of all ages and backgrounds coming together to experience and celebrate Chinese culture.
A spectacular four-metre illuminated moon provided the centrepiece of the celebrations at The Arcadian, alongside a packed programme of traditional and contemporary performances and activities.
Despite periods of rain on Sunday, crowds continued to gather, watch the performances and take part in the festivities.
Celebrating the 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 also celebrated across East and Southeast Asia.
Traditionally held when the moon is at its fullest, it is a time for families and friends to reunite and share mooncakes, with the round full moon symbolising reunion, togetherness and unity.
The Birmingham Chinatown celebration brought these traditions into the heart of the city, giving both the Chinese community and the wider public an opportunity to experience and celebrate them together.
One of the highlights of the weekend was the lion and dragon dancing by the Choy Lee Fut Lion & Dragon Team.
Special lion dance workshops gave visitors the chance to get involved themselves, take photographs with the lions and try the traditional drums and cymbals used to accompany the performances.
The wider programme featured Chinese dance, guzheng music, Chinese drumming, singing and contemporary performances, with contributions from Birmingham Chinese School, Chinese Community Centre Birmingham, Kids Arts, Royal Birmingham Conservatoire and a number of local dance and music groups.
Families could also take part in activities including lantern making, Chinese calligraphy, arts and crafts and traditional music workshops throughout the weekend.
The festival was organised by the Birmingham Chinese Festival Committee and Midlands Chinese Federation, with The Arcadian as headline sponsor.
Festival organiser James Wong said:
“This was our biggest Mid-Autumn Festival to date, and seeing Birmingham Chinatown and The Arcadian packed with people throughout the weekend was fantastic.”
“What I really love about these events is seeing people who may never have experienced a Chinese festival before coming along, getting involved and enjoying the culture alongside our Chinese community.”
“We couldn’t do it without the performers, community groups, volunteers and our partners, particularly The Arcadian, who have been incredibly supportive.”
“We’re already looking ahead to Chinese New Year on 6th and 7th February 2027, when we’ll once again be bringing celebrations to Birmingham Chinatown. We hope everyone who joined us this weekend will come back and celebrate with us again.”
The Birmingham Chinatown Mid-Autumn Festival aims to celebrate and preserve Chinese traditions, pass them on to future generations and share Chinese culture with the wider Birmingham community.