culture & tradition · Taiwan
Mid-Autumn Festival
中秋節
The short answer
Public holiday in Taiwan marked by moon viewing, mooncakes and pomelos; since the 1980s families and friends also hold outdoor barbecues, a custom widely attributed to barbecue-sauce advertising campaigns.
Where
nationwide
Country
Taiwan
When
annual, 15th day of the 8th lunar month (September or early October); public holiday
Last held
2026-09-25
Next edition
2027-09-15
Next dates are
calendar
Good to know
Sources disagree on the year the barbecue custom began (1980, 1982 or 1986 are all cited). Barbecuing in Taipei is allowed only in designated riverside parks (for example Dajia and Chengmei Right Bank); the number of designated parks varies by source and year. The 2026 date (25 September) comes from holiday-calendar sites, with some sites showing conflicting dates; the 2027 date (15 September) matches mainland China's official 2027 holiday schedule and Hong Kong's holiday on the following day (16 September).
Kungfucius says: The moon is the official attraction. The barbecue smoke on every pavement is the real one.