A major holiday in East Asian cultures will be celebrated with an event in Rochester that's been steadily growing since it started three years ago.
The local chapter of Asian Pacific American Public Affairs — also known as APAPA — will host the Harvest Moon Festival, which honors the autumn tradition celebrating good food, fortune, and family ties.
Joanna Ra is the Rochester APAPA president. She says when she and her family gathered chapter members to put on the first Harvest Moon Festival in 2023, it was in part to acknowledge the lack of Asian cultural events in Rochester.
She says they were worried about turnout that first year, particularly given many Asian cultures highly value privacy and are rare to venture out of comfort zones.
"We [were] honestly scared. You know, what if nobody shows up, right? But they proved us wrong," Ra said. "We live in this beautiful community. Everybody wanted to do good to each other. So, I think just the outcome speaks for itself to us, and that's what would carry us forward."
After a surprisingly successful inaugural event, the Harvest Moon Festival has now grown from barely a dozen vendors to close to 50 this year and more than a dozen performers, with attendance projected in the thousands.
Ra says this shows a deep yearning for connection.
"Just being seen and learning about different cultures. Also, [letting the] community know that there is a big Asian community who lives here, connecting with the non-Asian families, and everybody really, really genuinely appreciates each other. Seeing that positive connection, just welcoming environment, I think what community needs most, especially during this time," Ra said.
According to the U.S. census, the Asian American population in Rochester increased by 40 percent from 2010 to 2020.
The 2026 Rochester Harvest Moon Festival will be from noon to 6 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 26, at Meridian Centre Park in Brighton. It is free to the public.
Editor's note: WXXI's Mikhaela Singleton is serving as the event's emcee.
