Festival in Chinatown took on a special significance this year as the community fights the development of a controversial arena.

At a festival to celebrate the light of a full moon, the joy felt dimmed as residents of Chinatown once again turned to expressing outrage over the proposed arena and the mayor's endorsement of it.

When is Mid-Autumn Festival in 2024? And why is it celebrated? It’s time to hang a lantern and rip open a mooncake as we explore the meaning of this annual event.

“It’s a time for Chinatown as a community to really come out, see each other, celebrate this wonderful, precious community,” said Cinthya Hioe, communications manager at Asian Americans United, the non-profit that organized the event for the 29th year. Hioe said about 300 volunteers helped coordinate the event.

Philadelphia’s Chinatown celebrated its Mid-Autumn Festival on Saturday and hundreds flocked to 10th Street to celebrate the neighborhood and its culture in the wake of Mayor Parker’s decision to back an arena in the area.

Visitors take pictures of the grand lantern show on display at the Garden Expo Park on the eve of Mid-Autumn Festival in Beijing, Sunday, Sept. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Andy Wong) Visitors look at the flowers shaped lantern lights display during the grand lantern show at the Garden Expo Park on the eve of Mid-Autumn Festival in Beijing,

The sharing of round mooncakes amongst family members during the week of the festival signifies the completeness and unity of families.

Chinese Community Correspondent Faye Qiu shares how her family bakes mooncakes for the the Mid-Autumn Festival.

Festival in Chinatown took on a special significance this year as the community fights the development of a controversial arena. Madeline Wright reports.