Mooncakes, lanterns and a full autumn moon will set the scene when Panda Fest makes its Denver debut September 25-27 at Civic Center Park.
The three-day celebration will feature nearly 100 food and merchandise vendors, traditional and contemporary performances, hands-on cultural activities and a panda-themed bounce house. It also arrives just in time for the Mid-Autumn Festival—a holiday centered on food, family and reunion.
New York-based entrepreneur and cultural activist Xuan BiuBiu Xu first launched Panda Fest as a one-day gathering called Panda Day. The event has since grown into a multi-day festival visiting more than a dozen cities across the country, from Atlanta to Seattle.
“Denver is the perfect place for Panda Fest,” Xu says, pointing to the city’s vibrant Asian community, deep culinary roots and enthusiasm for gathering outdoors. “We can’t think of a better way to bring the Mile High community together.”
The festival’s arrival adds another chapter to the Mile High City’s growing calendar of Asian cultural celebrations. Residents of Asian descent account for roughly 3.7 to 4 percent of the city’s population, while the wider metro area—including neighboring Aurora—is home to expanding Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander communities, along with established cultural and culinary hubs.
Visitors will be able to sample food from vendors traveling to Denver from New York, Washington, Georgia, California and other states. The initial lineup includes Mr. Takoyaki, Kream Seoul Crepe, Chan Bai Mei, Dumpling King, Heaven Noodles/Saucy Bao and Mumu Sweet. Colorado-based Snugglebun, Mama Kim, Mochinut Westminster and Bowl Society have also signed on, and organizers expect to announce more local vendors in the coming weeks.
Panda Fest’s timing adds an extra layer of meaning. Also known as the Moon Festival, the Mid-Autumn Festival is observed on the 15th day of the eighth month of the lunar calendar, when the moon is traditionally considered at its brightest and fullest.
Customs vary among families and communities, but the holiday is often marked by reunions, lanterns, moon viewing and the sharing of mooncakes—round pastries commonly filled with sweet bean or lotus seed paste. Like the full moon, their shape symbolizes togetherness and completeness.
“Panda Fest is debuting in Denver this fall during Mid-Autumn Festival, a time when families and communities across generations traditionally gather together to give thanks and celebrate,” says Xu. “There’s something special about celebrating that spirit in Denver, a city that already knows how to bring people together under open skies.”
Panda Fest will join two other major fall harvest celebrations in Denver this year. The Far East Center’s Mid-Autumn Festival and the Nathan Yip Foundation’s festival at Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance are both scheduled for September 19, giving Denverites several opportunities to welcome the season through food, tradition and community.
Tickets (starting at $14) are on sale now for Panda Fest. General admission includes a customized Panda pin and headband, entry during a selected time slot, access to the panda inflatable and access to vendors and cultural performances.
“We hope Panda Fest feels like a reunion for the whole community, and a place where families and friends can share a meal, celebrate and create new memories together,” says Xu.
