Mid-autumn Festival in Guangzhou is one of the most popular events celebrated in the city. Mid-Autumn Festival is generally observed on the fifteenth day of the eighth lunar month and coincides with the autumnal equinox.

A festival to celebrate the season of harvest, this day comes with prosperity and abundance of fruits, vegetables and grain. People grab this opportunity to enjoy with leisure and relaxed mood. During this festival, moon is worshipped in order to invoke winter. It was since the Ming and Qing Dynasties, Mid Autumn Festival became popular. Food including apples, pears, peaches, grapes, pomegranates, melons and oranges are offered on an altar in the courtyard.
Special dishes like moon cakes, cooked taro, and edible snails from the taro patches or rice paddies cooked with sweet basil, and water caltrope are prepared. Cakes shaped like moon are also distributed among friends and relatives to mark the spirit of harmony.

Different parts of China observe this festival in variant traditions. Social gathering is organized and special performances are held in public areas to bring together folks of the locale. Even in Guangzhou, lantern shows are held in Wenhua Park during this festival. Myriad of differently shaped lanterns are lit on this occasion and provides a brilliant contrast with the moonlight dazzling Mid-autumn Festival in Guangzhou.