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Shamir Aleem | Staff Writer
Sept. 18, 2014
The Riverside Chinese Moon Festival’s unannounced cancellation left families angered Sept. 7.
The special event was scheduled to take place outdoors at the Riverside Metropolitan Museum Heritage House. RMM officials were forced to cancel the special event without rescheduling due to prospects of poor weather conditions.
Many families were not notified the event was cancelled prior to their arrival at the Heritage House. They were disappointed by the sight of the word “canceled” posted across a banner that indicated the festival.
All who showed up expected to experience a traditional Chinese festival. The festival is celebrated every year on the 15th day of the eighth lunar moon in the Chinese calendar, when the moon is at its fullest and brightest. The holiday is traditionally to be celebrated with family.
The event was going to feature “moon cakes,” a traditional Chinese pastry that is enjoyed specifically on this holiday. Storytelling, tea and a lion dance performance were also among the event’s planned activities.
Admission to the event was free, but many of the attendants drove from out of town, which can be costly.
Some of the attendants whom arrived at the location of the canceled Moon Festival expressed their irritation about the situation amongst themselves. One attendant mentioned that she had spoken over the phone with the event’s coordinators four hours prior to the scheduled start time and was still not notified about the canceling.
Approximately 30 minutes after the scheduled start time the angered crowd began to dwindle. Most attendees withdrew to their vehicles and drove to their next destinations in acceptance.
