Pacifica Square in Aurora will host its sixth annual Moon Festival from 2 to 7 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 19, event organizers said.
Located at the corner of Route 59 and New York Street on the border of Aurora and Naperville, Pacifica Square is the largest Asian-centric shopping and lifestyle center in the country, officials have said.
The festival marks one of Asia’s most widely observed holidays, a harvest celebration centered on family reunion and gratitude, and marked by the year’s fullest moon, traditionally celebrated with mooncakes and lanterns, event organizers said.
Pacifica Square started Aurora’s Moon Festival in 2020, and the event has grown into a fest drawing more than 1,500 attendees a year, according to a press release about the event.
Admission is free and no tickets are required for entrance, the release said.
This year’s event will include cultural performances representing China, Japan, Korea and other countries across Asia; martial arts demonstrations; a competitive ramen-eating challenge with more than $1,000 in cash and prizes; a cosplay competition; video game contests and more.
The festival will also feature more than 40 vendors, as well as food trucks and dining options at Pacifica Square’s own food court and restaurants.
The festival is co-hosted by the Windfall Group, Pacifica Square and the Global Friendship Exchange Foundation, officials said.