South Pasadena Moon Festival in Library Park on Saturday, October 5th

South Pasadena’s annual Moon Festival  will be celebrated on Saturday, October 5, 2013, in Library Park, in front of the Library Community Room at 1115 El Centro Street, from noon until 4:00 p.m. It is co-sponsored by the South Pasadena Chinese-American Club, the City of South Pasadena, the Friends of the South Pasadena Public Library, Peter Kwong, Quon Yick Noodle, and Phoenix Bakery.

This year’s exciting line-up of entertainment, games, live snakes in honor of the “Year of the Snake,” demonstrations, contests, and activities will appeal to the entire family. Fluff ice, boba drinks, noodles, egg rolls, pineapple cakes, sesame balls, and of course Moon Cakes, will be available.  Chinese lion dancers will open the event, followed by dragon beard candy making, an acrobat, and a visit from the Miss Chinatown LA Court.

Contests will challenge participants’ chopsticks-eating skills, noodle-eating capacity, and ability to eat such traditional Chinese foods as durian, chicken feet, and bitter melon at the “Fear Factor” contest. The South Pasadena Unified School District and the City of South Pasadena have formed teams to compete at the event. Prizes have been donated by local South Pasadena restaurants, including Golden China and Oak Tree Inn.

Admission to the event is free. There is a nominal charge for some activities. Presale tickets are available at a cost of $8 for 10 tickets (call Estela at 323-255-6888 to purchase or email the Club at SPCC91030@gmail.com).

Fiona Reimers