The Chinese Museum came alive over the weekend with festive sights, sounds, and flavours as visitors gathered to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival — one of the most beloved events in the Chinese cultural calendar.

A Taste of Tradition and Creativity

The celebrations began with a live mooncake-making demonstration led by Joey Leung, an acclaimed pastry chef born in Hong Kong and trained in Melbourne, in collaboration with JOY JAUNE. Joey shared how Hong Kong celebrates the Mid-Autumn Festival — from lantern shows to the timeless tradition of making lotus seed paste mooncakes with salted egg yolk.

She guided participants through every step of the process: rolling the custard, adding the filling, dusting with flour, and pressing it into the mould — before inviting volunteers to try making their own. Inspired by her mother’s love for Tieguanyin tea and the joy of Yumcha, Joey introduced this year’s limited-edition JOY JAUNE mooncake, blending the floral fragrance of Tieguanyin with the indulgence of Belgian chocolate. Guests were also treated to a tasting session, enjoying this creative fusion of Eastern tea culture and Western pastry artistry.

All profits from the JOY JAUNE x Chinese Museum mooncakes were donated to the Museum, supporting its mission to preserve and share Hong Kong and Chinese culinary heritage in Australia.

Lion Dance Brings Energy to Chinatown

Adding to the festive atmosphere, the Melbourne’s Chinese Masonic Society Lion & Dragon Dance Team (cmslion)delivered spectacular Lion Dance and Dragon Dance performances in Melbourne’s Chinatown. The highlight featured a traditional Fuzhou dragon dance, complete with a nine-person dragon, pearl, and full music ensemble.

Earlier in the day, families enjoyed a Lion Dance introduction and workshop hosted at the Museum, where participants of all ages learned about the rhythm, coordination, and symbolism behind this dynamic art form. The evening concluded with energetic Lion Dance, Kung Fu, and Martial Arts showcases, filling the streets with colour, excitement, and community spirit.

The Chinese Museum sincerely thanks Joey Leung, JOY JAUNE, and the Melbourne’s Chinese Masonic Society Lion & Dragon Dance Team (cmslion) for their outstanding contributions to this year’s celebration — a joyful blend of creativity, culture, and connection under the full moon. 🌕🥮🦁✨

Joey Leung and Mark Wang, CEO of the Chinese Museum, at the opening of the Mid-Autumn Festival mooncake-making event

Joey Leung demonstrating the art of mooncake making to the audiences

Joey showcasing the scene of herself and her mother making mooncakes together

Joey Leung begins the mooncake-making demonstration, with a projector magnifying her precise crafting movements for the audience to see

Joey guiding volunteers through shaping and moulding the perfect custard mooncake

Guests enjoying a hands-on experience and creating their own mooncakes during the session

Participants tasting Joey’s creative mooncakes and celebrating the Mid-Autumn Festival together

Participants listening the introduction of lion dance

A boy gets hands-on experience with the lion dance props during the interactive workshop

Several children admire and explore the beautifully crafted lion prop during the workshop