San Francisco’s Chinatown Autumn Moon Festival ran Saturday and Sunday, September 19–20, 2026, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. along Grant Avenue between California and Broadway. The Chinatown Merchants Association staged nonstop entertainment, food vendors, mooncakes, kids’ activities, and lion dancing in the city’s oldest Chinatown. Mid-Autumn played as a family street weekend rather than a single parade hour. Opening energy usually concentrated near California and Grant; closing processions depended on the live stage grid.
Who should cross for this
Chinese and Chinese American families, diaspora travelers, food seekers, and visitors who want a living Mid-Autumn weekend without a ticket lottery.
A Chinatown Merchants Association festival that keeps Mid-Autumn ritual, performance, and street commerce visible in San Francisco’s historic Chinese American core.
Suggested trip length: 2–3 nights
Trust the dates, not the stale timetable
The organizer site sometimes carried detailed stage blocks from a prior edition. Performer names, parade minutes, and dumpling-contest times needed a week-of recheck against the September 19–20 dates. Lion dance, martial arts, folk dance, and live bands were the recurring genre mix.
Eat, then claim a stage sightline
Mooncakes, bakery demos, and food booths rewarded an earlier arrival before the densest mid-afternoon crush. Main Stage language pointed to Washington and Grant when the live page was current. Cash and mobile pay both helped when vendor lines moved fast.
Stay close and leave the car
Chinatown or North Beach lodging suited evening walks after the 5 p.m. close. Union Square worked for hotel density and a short downhill walk. SFO via BART to Powell, then a walk or Stockton corridor hop, was the usual airport path. Layers helped against September fog.
Official information
Plan the rest of the trip
Sources
Last verified October 7, 2026. Event schedules, venues, and registration details can change; confirm with the organizer before booking travel.