Autumn Moon Festival- NYC

This year, we were so lucky to be in New York Chinatown on September 30, the day of the Autumn Moon Festival in New York City, with our families. We got to share dim sum and tea. In many cultures offering and sharing a meal, a sweet treat, breaking bread, or pouring hot tea for another are significant gestures of friendship and family, and the feeling of the offer runs deep into the souls of one's being. This is very true for Chinese. The greeting Chinese have is Sic Fan Ma? meaning Have you eaten? And then, the host will offer food, and put food and hot tea on the table as deeply felt gesture of friendship and family, even after the guest insists that they are stuffed to the gills from just eating. For me, the action of sharing dim sum, on this special day, with my family and friends was very significant and will always be a very happy memory.

After dim sum, we then went walking around Chinatown to see what we could see, and see what the street vendors and street artists had to offer. I love the street vendors because you never know what you will happen to see, and it might be just the right thing that you did not know you wanted.

The all Chinese American Color Guard were just about ready to present the flag.

This is one side street in Chinatown during the beginning of the Autumn Moon Festival street bazaar. At the very back side of the photo, there is a stage. When we walked by, there were the New York City Lion Dance team just arriving with their Lion heads and feet ready to roar. I love the Lion Dance because the Lions are cute, and remind me of my kitty cat when she is pouncing on her toys.

I have one more comment about the picture above. There are a lot of people out on the streets of Chinatown on Autumn Moon Festival, Saturday afternoon. There are ALWAYS a lot of people out on the streets looking a the vendor's wares on Satuday afternoons in New York Chinatown. I am wondering if there were more during the festival day, than on any normal given Saturday. For whatever it is worth, there is no other Chinatown in the USA that has the this large of a crowd. I love the energy, the liveliness, the rawness, the people watching, the goodies the vendors sell, and it makes me feel human, grounded and connected to other people again. I must get back to this at least once per year!
I am not sure what these are. There were ropes strung across a few poles with these papers flying. I am guessing they have names on them maybe? Does anyone know what these are?

One Chinese street vendor had these fruits. They are about the size of a large apple, and have the most lovely pink and green exterior. There was one cut open for us to see, and the inside looked like a giant fig, with lots of little black dots in the center surrounded by a tan-grey flesh. What are these, and what do they taste like?

Here is another fruit at the same street vendor's podium. These are the size of a lychee, but furry looking. They bright red color is so pretty. I do not know what the inside looks like. Does anyone know what these are?