Manchester becomes Moon-chester for Mid-Autumn Festival

The British city of Manchester was buzzing on Saturday as hundreds of people gathered to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival.

It's one of the biggest cultural events in China, but it seems to be striking a chord in the United Kingdom.

The festival highlights the importance of family and friends. It's a reminder that people may sometimes find themselves far apart, but they're always under the same moon. There's traditional Chinese dance, martial arts, calligraphy and ancient games like cuju - an early form of football.

Visitors also got a chance to meet the famous Chang'e - well, sort of. Festival performer Zhang Keyu played the goddess, walking around the venue with a rabbit plush toy - a symbol of the jade rabbit that lives on the moon.

"It's a real honor to play this character," says Zhang. "Family is a very important part of our lives and I'm very proud that we have a festival that celebrates family reunions. I just have to try to be as elegant as possible, because the goddess is very elegant."

The 'Moon Meeting' 

The festival was a brand new experience for some locals. Student Vivien Csonka decided to attend the event after her friends convinced her to come along. She got the chance to wear Hanfu, the traditional Chinese clothing, and even ended up in a parade.

"I loved the fact that we could all join in," says Csonka. "I also really enjoyed the dances that we saw today - those were very vibrant. It really shows that it's a great community."

Sol Stappard was keen to get another taste of China after spending just over a year in the country. He says events like the festival are crucial in a world that's often divided. 

"We need to develop relationships between people, and between societies," says Stappard. "I think events like this are good because they promote that kind of understanding between cultures."

Officials are also hoping that people learn a little more about the values behind Chinese culture. "I'm very impressed with what we're seeing at this event," says Tang Rui, China's consul general in Manchester. "It's good for people to know what's behind the traditions, and to understand our way of thinking."

Clouds covered the moon as the afternoon gave way to evening in north-west England. But that did little to dampen the atmosphere because, for one magical night, Manchester had transformed into Moon-chester.  

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