Sen. Leland Yee: Autumn Moon Festival

I am writing to invite the public to attend what has become a wonderful and exciting Sunset community tradition. On Saturday, Sept. 15, the Sunset District Autumn Moon Festival Committee will host the third annual Autumn Moon Festival in the Sunset District. This annual festival has become an integral part of San Francisco culture and I am proud that we have extended this important celebration into our local neighborhood.

The Sunset Autumn Moon Festival attracts thousands of people with a variety of booths, food, entertainment, and art. Many local organizations and merchants have participated in the planning, including the Outer Sunset Merchants Association, Tzu Chi Foundation, and Richmond Area Multi-Services, Inc. (RAMS). This year, we will also add a group of state agencies to bring government to the people and to distribute valuable public service information.

Attractions at the festival will include the very popular "Kids Corner," including pony rides, a bouncy house and animal petting zone. Due to popular demand, we have expanded the festival an extra block this year to cover three blocks on Irving Street. There will be more food booths than previous years, including barbeque and vegetarian food, and demonstration booths with various talents and artwork.

The Autumn Moon Festival takes place on Irving Street, between 22nd and 25th avenues, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The public is encouraged to attend. Admission is free. There is a long history to this traditional Chinese celebration. The Autumn Moon Festival is one of the most important holidays for the Chinese community. The festival falls on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month of the Chinese calendar. At this time, the moon is at its fullest and brightest, making it an ideal time to celebrate the abundance of the summer's harvest.

The Moon Festival is a time for family reunions. In the evening, family members gather to have a delicious dinner. The traditional food of the Moon Festival is the moon cake, of which there are many different varieties. In the Yuan Dynasty, China was once harshly ruled by the Mongols. The people devised a plan to revolt against them. To deliver the message, their written plan was secretly embedded in moon cakes during the Mid-Autumn Festival.

On the 15th day of the eighth month, the people revolted and drove out the Mongols. Since then, moon cakes have become a popular staple of the Moon Festival.

The Sunset event is an opportunity for all San Francisco residents to share in the tradition and celebration of the Autumn Moon Festival. We have worked hard to incorporate community members, merchants, parents, and government agencies to put on the best festival for the local community. This festival is an all-volunteer event and was created to bring a cultural community event to the Sunset District.

For more information about the Autumn Moon Festival, please see the Web site at www.autumnmoonfestival.org or call (415) 242-8199. We look forward to seeing you there.

Sen. Leland Yee is the Assistant President pro Tempore at the California state Senate.