Sydney Observatory
Free
The time-honoured tradition of celebrating the September/October full moon – also known as the Harvest Moon or Hunter’s Moon – has played an important role in many Asian cultures for centuries, offering a moment to honour the magnificent moon at its brightest. Harvest Moon-related festivals have been celebrated across Sydney for years, but in 2025, the celebrations will take over one of the city’s most iconic celestial landmarks. From Tuesday, September 30, to Thursday, October 2, Sydney Observatory will host its first-ever Moon Festival, featuring lion dances, lantern parades, live musical performances, and Vietnamese street food.
Traditionally, Moon Festivals focus on the theme of gratitude, with mooncakes shared among guests, lion dances performed, and feasts enjoyed under the glowing moon. The Sydney Observatory event will follow this tradition, with interactive lantern-making workshops led by renowned visual artist Truc Truong, alongside other traditional activities – and the added bonus of the city’s best view of the moon through the observatory's powerful telescope.
The Moon Festival will take over the observatory grounds for three consecutive days at various times, with the main event – including a lantern parade, lion and dragon dances, and a live set by Asian-Australian DJ Small FRY – taking place on Thursday, October 2.
Workshops will be free to attend, but a (free) ticket will be required for the Thursday evening main event. Keen? You can check out the full program and book your spot over here.
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