From the moment we opened at 4:00 PM, there was something for everyone, from little ones to grandparents. And you didn’t have to be Vietnamese to feel right at home.

Families sipped hot tea and tasted mooncakes together. Kids rolled up their sleeves at our mooncake making workshops, hands a little sticky, proudly showing off what they made. Little artists decorated straw hats and colored Moon Festival pages. Some kids walked away with painted faces, others with balloon creations of their very own. And every spin of our prize wheel brought a cheer, with kids taking home little treasures like stickers, fun swag, and trống lắc, the Vietnamese rattle drums they happily shook all evening long.

At 5:00 PM, we kicked off our main program with a lion dance by Hùng Vương Lion Dance Team, because it’s just not Trung Thu without one. The rain tried to steal the show, so the lions simply moved the party under the tent. The drums rumbled, the lions wiggled their way through the crowd, and the kids couldn’t stop giggling.

Next, it was time to honor the young artists in our Mid Autumn Cultural Art Contest. We asked kids and teens to show us what the Moon Festival or their cultural heritage means to them, and they did not hold back. Every piece was full of color, culture, and imagination, and each one said something only that artist could say.

We recognized winners in three age groups, from 5 to 17 years old, but the best part was watching each one walk across the stage while their families cheered them on. When young people are celebrated in front of their whole community, they start to believe they matter. And they do. Congratulations to every young artist who shared a piece of themselves with us.

Then came one of our favorite moments of the evening: the DMV Youth Impact Awards. Everything about this program comes back to one simple belief: Every Effort Counts. You don’t need a title or a trophy to make a difference. These middle and high school students from across DC, Maryland, and Virginia took initiative, served their communities, and lifted others up, not because anyone required it, but because they chose to show up. So this was never a competition. It was our chance to look these young people in the eye and tell them: we see you, and we are so proud of you.

Please join us in cheering on this year’s Standout Honorees: William (11th grade), Ryan (8th grade), Aeris (8th grade), Vivian (12th grade), Misato (12th grade), Ira (9th grade), Alexa (12th grade), Grace (12th grade), Eunhye (10th grade), and Steven (11th grade).

And to every young person reading this: you don’t have to wait until you’ve made it to serve the world. Start right where you are. If you know someone who is already making a difference, tell them about next year’s DMV Youth Impact Awards, or share their story with us so we can lift them up in Community Stories.

After all that cheering, we saved the best (and spiciest) for last: it was time to eat. First up was our Bánh Mì Eating Contest, with a special twist this year: bánh mì Nashville Hot Chicken. Then the bravest among us took on the Bún Bò Huế Eating Contest, fiery broth and all. The crowd cheered, nobody gave up, and more than a few people reached for a napkin.

And then came the moment the kids had been waiting for: the lantern giveaway. Before the festival, our wonderful volunteers sat together and assembled lanterns by hand, one by one, so no one would be left out. Kids, friends, and neighbors alike lined up with big smiles, and everyone who wanted a lantern went home with one. As the evening came to a close, Eden Center glowed with lanterns in every direction, as if the moon had come down to celebrate with us.