Mid-Autumn Festival in Gardens by the Bay, Singapore

© Victor Y. Zhuo/Alam

Lanterns and mooncakes. Mid-Autumn Festival

For many Asian cultures, the point at which the moon reaches its fullest during the harvest season marks the Mid-Autumn Festival, also known as the Moon Festival. It's traditionally observed on the 15th day of the eighth month in the Chinese lunar calendar. Dating back more than 3,000 years to China's Shang Dynasty, this festival celebrates moon watching and the harvest season. Mooncakes—round delicacies filled with sweet bean paste, salted egg yolks, or lotus seeds—are shared among friends and family while lanterns symbolizing good fortune illuminate the night. Asian communities come together to celebrate with cultural performances, including renditions of the Moon Festival's poetic tales.

As depicted in today's image, Gardens by the Bay in Singapore has been transformed into a mystical realm during this event. The Supertree Grove includes 18 'supertree' structures up to 164 feet high, designed as vertical gardens. During the Mid-Autumn Festival, the grove comes alive with lantern displays, and the park's conservatories host themed shows, often inspired by myths or nature's wonders.