KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysia Chinese Assembly Hall (MCAH) will hold its annual 2026 National Mid-Autumn Festival Carnival on Sunday, September 13, 2026, from 6pm, at Petaling Street in Kuala Lumpur.
Centred on the theme “Cultural Heritage, Participation for All, Strengthening Unity,” this year’s event will feature lion and dragon dances, cultural performances, a lantern parade, fireworks, mooncake distribution and a tourism photography and videography competition.
The festival aims to bring Malaysians of all races together with local and international visitors to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival while experiencing Malaysia’s rich multicultural identity.
The organising committee is honoured to invite Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture YB Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing as the guest of honour to officiate the event.
【Free Lanterns and Mooncakes for a Festival Shared by All】
The Mid-Autumn Festival is one of the most important traditional celebrations in Chinese culture, symbolising family reunion, gratitude, harmony and good wishes.
For generations, families have gathered to admire the full moon, share mooncakes and carry lanterns.
As society evolves, the meaning of the festival has also expanded beyond family reunions to become an occasion that encourages community interaction, cultural appreciation and social harmony.
Through the National Mid-Autumn Festival Carnival, MCAH hopes to bring these values of reunion and harmony into the wider community, allowing Malaysians of different races, ages and backgrounds, as well as international visitors, to participate together.
The festival seeks to promote the spirit of: “Connecting through culture, strengthening communities through celebration, and spreading harmony through togetherness.”
One of the major highlights this year will be the free distribution of lanterns and mooncakes to members of the public.
Families, young people, local residents and international tourists will be invited to carry lanterns and take part in the parade, regardless of race, age or background.
MCAH hopes that the Mid-Autumn Festival can be appreciated not only as a traditional Chinese celebration, but also as a cultural festival shared by all Malaysians.
The lantern parade will begin in front of KK Mart on Jalan Sultan, before proceeding through Jalan H. S. Lee and Jalan Hang Lekir, and ending at the Jalan Petaling entrance arch.
Mooncakes will also be distributed to the public, allowing participants to share a traditional delicacy that symbolises reunion and togetherness.
【“A Journey Through Petaling Street” Captures the Heritage of the City】
In conjunction with the festival, and to further promote the history, tourism appeal and community character of Petaling Street, MCAH will also organise the “A Journey Through Petaling Street Photo | Video Competition.”
Submissions will open on August 12 and close at 11.59pm on September 6.
The competition will feature two categories, Photography and Videography, with participation limited to 50 contestants in each category.
Participants are encouraged to capture Petaling Street’s historic buildings, human stories, street life, traditional culture and festive atmosphere through photographs and videos.
The organisers hope visitors will not only attend the Mid-Autumn celebration, but also use their cameras and smartphones to rediscover the history, culture and human warmth of the neighbourhood.
The competition is also intended to serve as a platform to promote the cultural and tourism value of Petaling Street, particularly among young people, content creators and visitors.
Prizes will include smartphones and cash awards.
【KK Chai: Traditional Culture Can Also Become a Tourism Asset】
MCAH President Datuk Seri Dr KK Chai said the organisation, established in 2003, has remained active in promoting culture, education, economic development and charitable welfare.
MCAH currently brings together more than 150 affiliated organisations and over 1,000 individual members nationwide.
He said the Mid-Autumn Festival Carnival has gradually become one of MCAH’s most important annual cultural events.
“We want to pass our traditional culture on to the next generation, while also allowing people from different communities and countries to participate in and understand Chinese traditional culture.”
He said Petaling Street was chosen as the venue because MCAH wants to create a stronger connection between traditional celebrations, urban history, the local community and tourism development.
“Petaling Street is not only an important historical, cultural and tourism landmark in Kuala Lumpur. It is also a window through which local and international visitors can discover the multicultural character of Kuala Lumpur and Malaysia.”
“We hope visitors will not simply come to watch a Mid-Autumn performance, but will also walk through the history of the city and experience Malaysia’s multicultural harmony while taking part in the celebration.”
Chai said culture and tourism can complement and strengthen one another.
A successful cultural event can attract visitors and generate greater activity for restaurants, retailers, hotels, transport operators and small businesses.
“Culture has warmth and meaning, but it can also create economic value.”
He also expressed MCAH’s appreciation to Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing for his continued support, encouragement and recognition of the Mid-Autumn Festival Carnival and Malaysia’s multicultural development.
【Using Culture to Build Community and Unity】
Organising Chairperson and MCAH Women’s Wing Secretary-General said this year’s event would continue to promote cultural exchange, strengthen community ties and encourage greater interaction among Malaysians.
She said the initiative also reflects the inclusive, united and harmonious spirit promoted under Malaysia MADANI.
“On the evening of September 13, Petaling Street will not merely be a place to admire the moon. It will become a sea of lanterns.”
She invited Malaysians of all communities, as well as domestic and international tourists, to come together to receive lanterns, share mooncakes, enjoy the performances and join the parade.
【Dragon and Lion Dances, Fireworks and Lantern Parade】
The programme will begin at 6pm with a variety of cultural and stage performances, including dragon and lion dances, a Chinese traditional costume showcase, Chinese drum performances, live music, singers and dances representing Malaysia’s three major communities.
Several illuminated installations standing nine feet tall and featuring Visit Malaysia 2026 mascots “Wira & Manja” dressed in traditional costumes of different communities will also be placed around the venue for visitors to take photographs.
The evening will also feature a fireworks display, while the highlight of the night will be the Mid-Autumn Lantern Parade, bringing local residents and visitors together to walk through the streets of Petaling Street.
【Government Agencies and Community Organisations Join Hands】
MCAH also expressed its appreciation to the government agencies, organisations and partners supporting the 2026 National Mid-Autumn Festival Carnival.
The event is supported by the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture Malaysia, Malaysia MADANI and Visit Malaysia 2026, and organised with the cooperation of the Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL), Persatuan Mencegah Dadah Malaysia (PEMADAM), Kuala Lumpur Hawkers and Petty Traders Association, and Malaysia Inbound Chinese Association (MICA).
Supporting partners also include the Malaysia Lantern Art Association, Persatuan Penulis Sukan Kuala Lumpur dan Selangor, Selangor and Kuala Lumpur Photography Association, Malaysia Laundry Association, and Kuala Lumpur Tourist Guides Association (KLTGA).
MCAH said the participation of partners from the cultural, tourism, community, media, photography, city management and guiding sectors has helped transform the festival into more than a traditional celebration.
It has become a platform that brings together heritage, tourism, community life and urban development, while ensuring that Mid-Autumn traditions continue to be passed down from generation to generation.
On the evening of September 13, MCAH invites all Malaysians to come together at Petaling Street, carry a lantern, share a mooncake and celebrate culture, unity and the spirit of togetherness beneath a sea of lights.