Asian Moon Festival to return at UCO

The University of Central Oklahoma’s Asian American Student Association (AASA) will host their annual Asian Moon Festival on Oct. 2, from 6 to 9 p.m. at Buddy’s Lawn.

The event is free and open to the public. This year’s Asian Moon Festival will feature collaborations with over 15 student organizations, including the Muslim Student Association, the Japanese Student Association, and the Hispanic Student Association.

Each organization will host its own booth, contributing to the vibrant cultural showcase.  

The event will start at 6 p.m., with food such as fried rice, orange chicken, spring rolls, boba milk tea, and other Asian snacks.

Performances will begin at 7 p.m. with a program that will blend different traditional and modern  entertainment, such as pop culture dances and live cultural showcases from the different student associations on campus.

Attendees can bring a blanket to sit on the lawn while performances are on stage. A brief intermission midway will allow time to visit the booths and complete a scavenger hunt.

The evening will conclude with a lion dance finale, a centuries-old tradition believed to bring good fortune and ward off evil spirits.

“It will be a big finale,”  said AASA president Kalvin Gutierrez. Rolly the Red Panda, AASA’s mascot, will make a special appearance throughout the night to greet attendees and join in the celebration.  

Gutierrez said the goal of the event is to create “a home away from home” for international students and an environment where culture is celebrated and shared with anyone who wishes to experience it.  

“The Asian Moon Festival to me is a time to get together with your loved ones and embrace the amazing music, food, dances, and culture,” Gutierrez said.

They continued, “ As a kid, my family and I often went  to the Asian Moon Festival and the Lunar New Year Festival; I loved seeing the lion dances,  Kanpai Taiko Drums, and amazing pop dances… and of course the free food!” 

In addition to the Asian Moon Festival, AASA will host a picnic in collaboration with the Nepal Student Association on October 8 and a Studio Ghibli movie night on October 24.