Held in conjunction with the Whittlesea Hertiage Program, the Moon Cake Festival is celebrated by Chinese around the world. A major event, the festival is marked with dances, moon gazing and eating moon cakes. It is a special occasion for family reunions.
The 2008 local event was held on Saturday 13 September, 2008 at the Thomastown Library. It was organised by the Whittlesea Chinese Association, Yarra Plenty Regional Library, 88.6 Plenty Valley FM, Whittlesea Multicultural Community Council and supported by the City of Whittlesea.
“It was a great celebration where people of all ages and backgrounds came together learn new information and skills and enjoyed the things that make this such a vibrant and multicultural city,” said Arthur Yong, President of Whittlesea Chinese Association, and “Best of all it was free.”
There were more than 150 participants of from different cultural backgrounds attended the creative, entertaining and colorful Festival activities. Mr. Ward Set and Ms Joanne Teh shared the role of Master of Ceremony. The President acknowledged the presence of the Mayor, Cr. Elizabeth Nealy, Cr. Mary Lalios, Cr. Kris Pavlidis, Cr. Frank Merlino, Lily D’Ambrosio MP, Jenny Mikakos MP, Harry Jenkins MP, Mr. Tsebin Tchen (Former Senator for Liberal in Victoria), Ken Lee Tet (General Manager, Plenty Community Credit Union), Acting Police Inspector (Whittlesea Police Service Area), Trevor Lockwood. Mr. Yong acknowledged the sponsors: Victorian Multicultural Commission, Plenty Community Credit Union, Thomastown Traders’ Association, Lalor Living & Learning Centre, Consumer Affairs Victoria, Chow Garden Restaurant, Sally Fischmann, Kawanku Restaurant, KST Partners, Thomas Ling, Peter Batchelor MP, Lily D’Ambrosio MP, Harry Jenkins MP and Jenny Mikakos MP.
Mr. Yong created a comedy Festival Story Play, with the assistance of Frank Moore, who wrote the script. Cr. Pavlidis helped to create an artistic tree. In the play, Cr Lalios was the narrator; Arthur Yong acted as Hou Yi (a divine archer); Mayor Cr. Nealy acted as Chang Er (Moon Goddess); James Lalios played the jade bunny and Joshua Angso acted as Wu Gang (a tree chopper). The participants found the five minutes play very entertaining and enjoyable. Lily D’Ambrosio encouraged the Association to have more short plays in future community event.
There were many cultural performances. Most participants were very impressed with Ms Chelsea Bai playing the ancient Chinese Harp music. Whittlesea Chinese Association Dancing Group, Maple performed the Chinese Lantern Dance and Chinese Fan and Hankerchief Dance.
There was a traditional folk dance by Damian Peters and Serena Clark. There was a special highlight of singing a Mandarin song of Green Island Serenade by non-Chinese students of the Abbotsford Primary Choir. Another highlight of the performances was the singing of Shirley and Gordon O’Rourke, who sang the song of Moonlight and Roses. The night featured demonstrations of Chinese Calligraphy, moon cake making, Feng Shui consultation, information materials of Consumer Affairs Victoria. There was tasty light refreshment of finger food and moon cakes. Trevor Lockwood was “moved” by the lantern parade and home-made lantern competition participated by many young children and the involvement of their families. Ms Jessie Chan, Vice President of the Association, was one of the three judges of the competition.
