Two major precincts in the heart of Sydney - Darling Square and Market City - will light up during the 2025 Moon Festival with live entertainment and food specials throughout September and October.
The Darling Square precinct will transform into a hub of colour and activity from 27 September until 12 October, celebrating one of Asia’s most popular festivals with light installations, lion dancing, family-friendly workshops and limited-edition menus.
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XOPP by Golden Century is releasing a handcrafted mooncake collection with a cookie-like crust and indulgent fillings such as salted egg custard and sweet red bean with lily bulb. Dessert lovers can head to 15cenchi for its Salted Egg Mochi Moon Cheesecake, which quickly sold out last year, while Lilong by Taste of Shanghai is showcasing puff pastry mooncakes filled with everything from red bean paste to savoury pork and radish with ham and dried shrimp.
Gelato Messina is marking the festival with its limited-edition ‘Over the Moon’ flavour, blending red dates, caramel, lava custard and mooncake crumbs. For something savoury, Hello Auntie has curated banquet menus designed for sharing, while 789 KBBQ is offering a complimentary serve of chicken thighs with every $150 spend during the festival.
Auvers Dining is adding two family-friendly offers to the mix. Its XO seafood tower, usually priced at $148, will be available for $88 on Wednesday and Thursday evenings, featuring crabs, mussels, prawns, oysters, salmon and scallops. On Sundays, children can dine for free with the purchase of a main dish, with options ranging from fish and chips to scrambled eggs on toast.
The atmosphere extends beyond the table. Hundreds of lanterns will glow across Darling Square each evening, and shoppers who spend $30 or more on weekdays can collect a free light-up lantern from Lillianna Gifts.
Performances include illuminated lion dancing on 27 September, 4 October and 11 October, along with live music every Friday and Saturday night. Families can join in workshops such as mooncake clay-making, lantern painting and a Moon Festival scavenger hunt throughout the celebrations.
The celebrations don’t end at Darling Square. Just across the road, Market City is hosting its own Moon Festival program from 7 September to 12 October, creating an extended calendar of festivities. This year it’s home to Australia’s largest mooncake sale, run by Thai Kee IGA in Centre Court, from 22 September to 8 October, featuring premium selections rarely found outside China. Shoppers spending $25 or more between 1 and 6 October will also receive one of 4,000 custom Market City-branded mooncakes.
Market City’s program also includes high pole lion dancing by the world-renowned Jin Wu Koon troupe at 2pm daily over the long weekend from 4 to 6 October. Visitors can take home a personalised calligraphy card crafted by Madam Tot from 26 September to 3 October with every mooncake purchase. The centre has been transformed with a glowing oversized moon, colourful lanterns and drifting clouds to create an immersive festival atmosphere.
The 1909 Dining Precinct on Level 3 makes Market City a destination in its own right. Diners can choose from top-tier eateries such as The Eight for yum cha, the Dolar Shop for hot pot, seafood specialist FuJi and noodle favourite Mr Meng. Evening visitors can make the most of the Park and Dine promotion with complimentary parking after 6pm when dining at any of the Level 3 restaurants.
With lanterns lighting up Darling Square each evening and Market City offering its own full program of activities, Sydney’s Moon Festival celebrations stretch well beyond one precinct.
Full the view Darling Square program here and the Market City program here.