SAN FRANCISCO — Chinatown’s Autumn Moon Festival returns Sept. 19 and 20 with two days of free performances, food, lion dancing and street events along Grant Avenue.
The Chinatown Merchants Association lists festival hours as 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, with the main event area on Grant Avenue between California Street and Broadway. Admission is free.
What is on the Saturday schedule?
The official festival schedule begins Saturday with an 11 a.m. opening parade and ribbon cutting at California and Grant. The afternoon includes lion dance and martial arts, Chinese folk dance, live performances and a K-pop Dance Contest at 1:15 p.m.
What is happening Sunday?
Sunday’s program includes Tai Chi, lion dancing, taiko, the SF Guzheng Society and the Grant Avenue Follies. A dumpling contest is scheduled for 2:45 p.m., followed by a White Crane dragon parade from 4:30 to 5 p.m.
Which Chinatown streets will close?
The city’s ISCOTT action covers Grant Avenue between California and Broadway, plus sections of Commercial Street, Waverly Place, Washington Street and Wentworth Place, along with several intersections inside the festival footprint.
The approved closure window runs from 10 p.m. Friday, Sept. 18 through 11:30 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 20. That is much longer than the public festival hours, which matters if you are parking, staying or driving through Chinatown that weekend.
Is this the Clement Street Autumn Moon Festival?
No. San Francisco has two different Autumn Moon events on consecutive weekends. The Richmond District’s Clement Street festival is Sept. 12. The Chinatown Merchants Association festival covered here is Sept. 19–20 on Grant Avenue.