The Mid-Autumn Festival 2026 — the Mooncake Festival, Zhongqiu Jie, Tết Trung Thu — falls on Friday, September 25, 2026, when the harvest moon is at its fullest and brightest. Watch the time remaining on our live Mid-Autumn Festival countdown.
When is the Mid-Autumn Festival 2026?
The festival is held on the 15th day of the 8th month of the Chinese lunisolar calendar, which falls in September or early October on the Gregorian calendar. In 2026 that day is September 25. In mainland China the public holiday runs September 25–27, often combined with travel for family reunions.
Why the full moon matters
The round, full moon is the heart of the festival, symbolising completeness and family reunion. Across China, Vietnam, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia and Chinese communities worldwide, families gather to admire the moon, light lanterns and share food — a tradition stretching back over a thousand years to harvest celebrations and moon worship.
Mid-Autumn traditions
- Mooncakes — rich pastries filled with lotus-seed paste, red bean or salted egg yolk, shared among family and given as gifts.
- Lanterns — children carry bright paper lanterns, a special highlight of Tết Trung Thu in Vietnam, where it is also a children's festival.
- Moon-gazing — families gather outdoors to admire the fullest moon of the year.
- Reunion dinners — like a harvest thanksgiving, relatives come together for a shared meal.
Count down to the Mooncake Festival
Open the live Mid-Autumn Festival 2026 countdown for the exact days, hours and minutes to the full moon. You can also count down to Korea's harvest festival, Chuseok, on the same lunar day, or create your own countdown and browse more countdown tools.