On Sunday, October 5th, Kissena Corridor Park in Flushing came alive with the sights, sounds, and flavors of autumn and the warmth of a community gathering. Co-hosted by Glow Cultural Center and Councilmember Sandra Ung, this year’s Fall Festival—our cherished Mid-Autumn tradition—was more than a celebration; it was a love letter to our neighbors who make Flushing home.

Beginning at 9 AM, volunteers began transforming the park into a vibrant hub, unfurling banners, setting up stages, and arranging booths. By midday, more than 2 thousand participants had gathered under the sun, embodying the season’s spirit of harvest, connection, and joy. This wasn’t just an event—it was a day for families, elders, and children to come together, share experiences, and create memories.

A Stage for Every Tradition

The main stage came alive as a vibrant showcase of global artistry and tradition. From the powerful beats of the Northern-Style Lion Dance, which opened the day with excitement and luck, to graceful moon-themed performances celebrating reunion and beauty, every act reflected the spirit of the Mid-Autumn Festival.

Artists from across cultures shared their heritage through music, dance, and costume—Chinese, Indian, Japanese, Philippine, Argentine, and more—each adding unique color and rhythm to the celebration. The audience swayed, clapped, and joined in the joy.

Community groups like the Glow Wellness Team brought everyone together in motion: Zumba sessions invited the crowd to move to upbeat rhythms, Tai Chi offered moments of calm under the sun, and Diabolo performances filled the air with laughter and awe.

Fun, Feasts, and Care for Our Community

Beyond the stage, the festival brimmed with joy. Kids bounced in inflatable castles, tried cornhole, and lined up for face painting, while the NYPD 109th Precinct’s rock-climbing wall drew cheers from young climbers reaching new heights. NewYork-Presbyterian Queens brought care to the celebration, offering free blood pressure screenings and wellness advice for hundreds of visitors — showing that health and happiness can thrive side by side.

Cultural booths added hands-on fun: lacquer fan painting, traditional Hua Dian face art, and sugar painting drew steady crowds. Councilwoman Sandra Ung’s team shared mooncakes — sweet symbols of reunion — as neighbors laughed, connected, and celebrated the season together.

Our Community, Our Story

The festival reflected the heart of Flushing — diverse, resilient, and close-knit. Nearly 89% of attendees identified as Asian, joined by African American and Hispanics at 3.5% each, creating a vibrant cultural mosaic. Families of all sizes came together — parents snapping photos of children clutching cotton candy, the elderly enjoying stage performances, and friends reconnecting under the Autumn sun.

Survey data from our inflatable activity indicated that around 61% of households reported annual incomes below $42,300 and another 18% reported income between $42,300 and $60,000 which falls within the Low to Moderate income (LMI) bracket for New Yorkers. This free event made it possible for every family to celebrate, connect, and experience culture without barriers — showing that community joy can be experienced by everyone.

None of this would have been possible without our sponsors, partners, performers, and volunteers — especially our youth team leaders, whose dedication and leadership kept everything running smoothly under the sun. Their energy and teamwork truly stood out, embodying the next generation of community spirit.

To everyone who joined us — thank you for your laughter, applause, and warmth that filled the park. As the sun set, families shared smiles and farewells, closing a day that celebrated Flushing’s true heart: diverse, resilient, and united. We look forward to shining together again at next year’s festival.

Thank you to all the sponsors and co-organizer!

Co-organizer

• City Council member Sandra Ung

Premier Sponsors

• Celestial Love Foundation 華人善終基金會
• WAC group
• Glow Foundation 啟揚基金会
• Selfhelp Community Services Foundation 自強社區中心

Diamond Sponsors

• Amy Mak Chan 陳麥潔明
• MetroPolitan Park
• New York Shandong Association 纽约山东同乡会 / Confucius Foundation 美国孔子基金会

Gold Sponsors

• Veronica Tsang 曾翁若梅
• 355 Code.com
• EmblemHealth 安保健康保险
• Shanghai Commercial Bank 上海商業銀行

Silver Sponsors

• China AIDs Fund
  美国中華愛心基金會
• Cathay Bank 国泰银行
• Wonton Food group
• Health First 第一保健
• Food Bazaar
• Prime Fitness 精英健身
• NewYorkLife / Rongfang Zhou
• Chinese Business Association of New York 美国纽约华人总商会
• American Business Institute (ABI) Health Care
• Wukong 悟空中文
• 葆寧药房
• The National Center for Suburban Studies at Hofstra University
• Asian Americans for Equality (AAFE)
• Rendr 百康仁德
• Raising Cane’s
• Wensong Li, MD 李尉崧博士
• CAIPA Foundation 亚美医师协会慈善基金会
• Cricket Wireless
• Coway USA
• NY Queens Presbyterian Hospital
• ACAP 美国华人医师会
• Holly Civic Association

Friendship

• Garden of hope 紐約勵馨婦幼關懷中心
• Charles Wang Community Health Center王嘉廉社区医疗中心
• New York Council of Chinese-American 纽约华人社团联席会
• American Chinese Environmental Protection Association (ACEPA) 美華環境保護協會
• Timothy C. Li & Helen Y, Li
• Jubilee Cargolink Inc.
• LiveOnNY
• NYC Comptroller

Media Sponsors

• World Journal 世界日报
• 邑睿文化传媒

Photo Credit: Di Geng / Elizaveta Son

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