Chinese Mooncake Festival kicks off Saturday in Carmel CARMEL, Ind. (WISH) — Carmel’s Midtown Plaza on Saturday will host a unique festival featuring mooncakes. The Chinese Mooncake Festival, also known as the moon festival, is considered to be the second-most important celebration in Chinese culture after the Lunar New Year. The two-hour festival will start at 6:30 p.m. Saturday at the plaza. The festival, which is happening in the eighth month of the lunar calendar, is a tradition to celebrate family unity and harvest. “It’s not just for the Chinese community that’s vibrant in Carmel, but we really want to see that representation of everybody coming out, and really getting to experience exciting and spectacular performances,” said Peter Kirkwood, co-chair of Carmel’s Chinese Mooncake Festival. Mooncakes are a key part of the mid-autumn festival because they symbolize the full moon, which represents completeness, family reunion, and harmony. “Take everything that you know about cake and forget about it. It’s a unique Chinese confectionary, and the symbol of the moon cake itself being that its a circular shape, which represents the unity. It has some unique flavors, maybe a red bean paste or lotus blossoms,” Kirkwood said. Visitors will find traditional dances, music, a dragon parade, and free mooncakes. “About 1,500 people, Kirkwood said. “We’ve had thousands of audience members come out year after year, so I really encourage you to get out there and get your hands on one.” Kirkwood believes that recognizing the diversity that Carmel offers is important. “Particularly at a time when international cooperation and mutual beneficial exchange is important. We need to recognize the contributions that citizens of Chinese ancestry, and all our ancestry groups in our community. It’s really been great to broad community representation come out for this celebration year after year.” (Provided Photo/Carmel, Indiana, Chinese Mooncake Festival) (Provided Photo/Carmel, Indiana, Chinese Mooncake Festival) (Provided Photo/Carmel, Indiana, Chinese Mooncake Festival) (Provided Photo/Carmel, Indiana, Chinese Mooncake Festival) (Provided Photo/Carmel, Indiana, Chinese Mooncake Festival) (Provided Photo/Carmel, Indiana, Chinese Mooncake Festival) (Provided Photo/Carmel, Indiana, Chinese Mooncake Festival) (Provided Photo/Carmel, Indiana, Chinese Mooncake Festival) (Provided Photo/Carmel, Indiana, Chinese Mooncake Festival) (Provided Photo/Carmel, Indiana, Chinese Mooncake Festival) (Provided Photo/Carmel, Indiana, Chinese Mooncake Festival) (Provided Photo/Carmel, Indiana, Chinese Mooncake Festival) (Provided Photo/Carmel, Indiana, Chinese Mooncake Festival)