Mid-Autumn Festival 2023 [SOLD OUT]
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This program has taken place. Find the event recap and photos here »
UPDATE (September 28, 2023) — Preregistration for this event is closed. We welcome walk-ups as capacity allows.
Schedule
Saturday, September 30, 2023
10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Festival
Activities, Performances, and Exhibitions | Day-Of Information
Also known in many Asian countries as the Moon Festival or Lantern Festival, the Mid-Autumn Festival welcomes the autumn harvest and full moon. Asia Society Texas' Mid-Autumn Festival features Taiwanese artists and photography, storytelling, and exciting art activities such as lantern-making, paper cutting, and faux mooncakes. Join us as we celebrate this festive holiday!
This free festival will also feature complimentary access to our new permanent Explore Asia exhibition as well as our new exhibition on view Tsherin Sherpa: Spirits.
Admission to the Mid-Autumn Festival is free; registration (online or walk-up) is required for timed entry at 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. and 12–2 p.m.
Food and drink will also be available for sale.
Activities, Performances, and Exhibitions
All-Ages Activities
- Faux Mooncakes
- Bunny Boxes
- Festival Coloring Sheets
- Lantern Crafts
Presented by Formosa Association of Student Cultural Ambassadors - Bracelet-Making
Presented by the Houston Hanfu Association
Food and Drink Vendors
- Momo Bakes Cake
- Saigon Matcha Cafe
Festival Performances and Demonstrations
Join us at 11 a.m. and again at 1 p.m. to hear from speakers, performers, and enjoy a parade, presented by the Ministry of Culture (Taiwan) and Taiwan Academy of Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Houston!
Performing artists include:
- Richie Goods and Chien Chien Lu
Presented by the Ministry of Culture (Taiwan) and Taiwan Academy of Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Houston - Ivy Bao
Presented by Houston Public Library - Techno Prince Parade Dance
Presented by the Ministry of Culture (Taiwan) and Taiwan Academy of Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Houston
These performances are being presented as part of the "Spotlight Taiwan" project.
Free Exhibition Admission

Learn about the arts and cultures of Asia through an immersive journey to China, India, Japan, South Korea, and Vietnam — without ever leaving Houston. Ride a virtual bullet train that travels across space and time, learn about delicious meals and treats (and where to find them in Houston), take our stage in a participatory drumming experience, and more!

Featuring more than 30 paintings, sculptures, and textile works, this exhibition traces the evolution of renowned Himalayan artist Tsherin Sherpa's Spirits series as it stretches, bends, reconfigures, and repurposes elements from traditional Tibetan art, merging them with modern imagery.
Day-Of Information
Health and Safety
Our 2023 Mid-Autumn Festival is a rain-or-shine event taking place primarily indoors.
Parking and Directions
Paid parking is available in Asia Society Texas' lot across Southmore Boulevard from the building. Entrances are located on Caroline and Austin Streets. Bicycle racks are available in our parking lot for no cost.
Street parking is also available. The Center is a five-minute walk from the Museum District METRO Rail Station.
Event Schedule
10 a.m. – 12 p.m. | First Time Slot for Festival Entry | |
Ongoing | All-Ages Activities Free Exhibition Admission |
Throughout the Center |
11 a.m. |
Jazz Music |
Brown Foundation Theater (Downstairs) |
12–2 p.m. | Second Time Slot for Festival Entry | |
1 p.m. | Chinese Opera Singing Poetry and Hanfu Performance Techno Prince Parade Dance |
Brown Foundation Theater (Downstairs) |
About Chien Chien Lu

Chien Chien Lu is a vibraphonist, contemporary percussionist, and composer whose Taiwanese upbringing, classical music education, and passion for R&B grooves crystallize into a fresh and distinctive approach to contemporary jazz. Lu’s fierce authenticity and jazz mastery shine bright on her September 2020 debut solo project, The Path, which spent 20 weeks on the Jazz Week Charts Top 20, earned "Best Jazz Songs" in Golden Indie Music Awards and three Golden Melody Awards nominations, four Golden Indie Music Awards nominations and led to Lu’s being named the “vibraphone rising star” in Downbeat Magazine’s 69th Annual Critics Poll. Lu’s band has also played many prestigious festivals including the Clifford Brown Jazz Festival, and toured extensively in Europe, Asia, and the United States. Accompanied on "The Path" by an elite cast of musicians, Lu offers a unique, intersectional perspective on modern jazz as a Taiwanese-born woman vibraphonist with a masters in classical music from Taipei National University of the Arts as well as in jazz from University of the Arts in Philadelphia.
In her time as a classical percussionist, Lu has collaborated with composer Ching-Mei Lin and performed her marimba concerto for six-mallet marimba entitled Pulsing Wave, performed a solo percussion concert at Taipei Novel Hall, and in 2014, was named “Emerging Young Artist” for her work with her marimba duo at Taipei University of the Arts.
In 2015, Lu came to the United States to study jazz vibraphone with Philadelphia’s Tony Miceli, and graduated with a Masters of Music in Jazz Studies from University of the Arts in Philadelphia shortly thereafter. In 2017, she attended the prestigious Banff Jazz Residency under the direction of jazz pianist, Vijay Iyer, where she first met jazz trumpeter Jeremy Pelt. From there, Lu began to perform regularly in the U.S. and was invited to join the esteemed Jeremey Pelt Quintet.
In the next few years, Lu will continue to record and tour internationally with the Jeremy Pelt Quintet and her own band, and she plans to soon release a project in collaboration with bassist Richie Goods entitled, Someday We’ll All Be Free.
Education and Outreach programs at Asia Society Texas are presented by AARP and Wells Fargo. Generous funding also provided by Cathay Bank Foundation and the George and Mary Josephine Hamman Foundation. Additional support is provided by Friends of Asia Society, a dedicated group of individuals and organizations committed to bringing exceptional programming and exhibitions to Asia Society Texas.
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About Asia Society Texas
Asia Society Texas believes in the strength and beauty of diverse perspectives and people. As an educational institution, we advance cultural exchange by celebrating the vibrant diversity of Asia, inspiring empathy, and fostering a better understanding of our interconnected world. Spanning the fields of arts, business, culture, education, and policy, our programming is rooted in the educational and cultural development of our community — trusting in the power of art, dialogue, and ideas to combat bias and build a more inclusive society.
Event Details
1370 Southmore Blvd.
Houston, Texas 77004