By Gui Oliveira

September kicks off the Richmond District’s Autumn Moon Festival. Needless to say, this year the event won’t be like in previous years but neighbors can still participate virtually here.

Historically, the Asian festival pays tribute to the moon goddess, Chang-O, and it is thought of as Chinese Thanksgiving in that it celebrates the bounty of the summer harvest. The moon cake itself holds symbolic meaning in the centuries-old tradition. The roundness of the cake symbolizes families coming together, and as a gesture of good fortune.

I had the honor of photographing and writing about last year’s, Autumn Moon Festival. I saw some amazing performances, met local vendors, learned a lot about the tradition, ate delicious food, and got to photograph the diversity of the Richmond District celebrating and coming together.

Some of these photos are previously unpublished.

To read the article about the 2019 Autumn Moon Festival, click HERE>