A signature event by New Century in the Town of Deerpark featuring authentic Asian food and traditional Chinese performances attracted visitors from the tri-state area over the weekend.
It was the eighth Moon Festival, and it had more vendors and visitors than any other, according to New Century event coordinator Jin Pang.
“Moon festival is a time when families and friends come together in China,” Ms. Pang said. “We want to share traditional Chinese festivity with everyone through this unique event, and it was great to see so many families join us and have a great time.”
Shanna Kenny, a resident of Matamoras, Pennsylvania, attended the Moon Festival with her family and was impressed by its positive messages.
Along the center lane that connected the entrance with the performance stage, quotes by the Founding Fathers and other prominent figures were displayed on hanging boards.
One board, featuring American poet Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr., read, “Where we love is our home—home that our feet may leave, but not our hearts.”
“I like these quotes about families and good messages such as kindness,” Ms. Kenny said. “When my baby son is a little older, I’d like to bring him back here because I want him to know kindness.”
Port Jervis Police Chief William Worden attended the festival with his wife and two daughters and said he found it to be a family-oriented and wholesome experience.
“We are on a scouting mission for food. We are going to hit all the vendors,” he said.
The expansive New Century property hosted 240 vendors, with more than 40 of them selling an array of Asian food and several popular Western cuisines.
Barely 10 minutes had passed since her arrival at the event, and Leena Clausell had tried a scallion pancake, a grilled pork chop, and a specialty sausage.
“This is great,” the Florida, New York, resident said. “I grew up in Queens, so having access to wonderful Asian food is always something that I look forward to.”
Jonathan Jensen, a resident of Milford, Pennsylvania, discovered the benefits of brewing tea with loose tea leaves and bought a bag to try at home.
“I learned that you can use used tea leaves to clean things, and once you dry them, you can put them in your pillow as aromatherapy—I’ve really opened a door here,” he said.
Throughout the event, traditional Chinese performances played out on the center stage, including an interactive dragon dance, classical Chinese dance, and a demonstration of the erhu, also known as the Chinese violin.
Several performers were sponsored by Fei Tian College at Middletown and the Northern Academy of Arts.
Middletown resident Cathy Reed told The Epoch Times that she found the performances calm and peaceful.
“I just loved them all,” she said. “The music was so soothing, and the costumes were so beautiful.”
Orange County District Attorney David Hoovler and his wife, Christa, said they enjoyed the exposure to different cultures.
“This is a beautiful day in the Town of Deerpark,” Ms. Hoovler said. “It is wonderful to see such a large festival and so many people from all walks of life coming here to learn about the culture and experience while also getting to meet their neighbors.”
“It is always good to learn a little bit about new cultures and different things,” Mr. Hoovler said.
U.S. Rep. Pat Ryan, New York state Sen. James Skoufis, New York state Assemblyman Karl Brabenec, Orange County Executive Steve Neuhaus, and the Orange County Legislature, through Majority Leader Tom Faggione, sent over proclamations recognizing the Moon Festival.
