Local residents and foreign friends gathered for a cross‑border Mid‑Autumn Festival party on September 24 at the CNS Station in Lidoway‌, Xujing Town, where neighbors celebrated the traditional Chinese holiday with handcrafts and live music.

The event brought together expats and Xujing community members. Attendees made Chinese‑style flower‑arrangement lanterns and performed classic Chinese songs, sharing a festive nighttogether.

A highlight of the evening was the lantern‑making workshop. Many foreign parents and their children sat together, assembling lantern frames, installing warm lights, arranging fresh flowers and adding tassel decorations. Bilingual instructors guided participants through the art of Chinese floral arrangement, teaching the aesthetic principles of balanced composition and poetic atmosphere.

Luper, a participant from Nigeria, joined the hands‑on activity with his children.

"The atmosphere here is so warm and healing," he said. "So many families are celebrating together. We have finished putting the light inside the lantern and are ready for flower arrangement. I'm really looking forward to the final piece."

Gina, from Germany, also took part with her kid and praised the community‑organized cultural events.

"I'm glad to join this wonderful activity," she said. "The community gives us great chances to learn about Chinese culture. Mid‑Autumn Festival stands for family reunion, which means a lot to us. I hope we can make a beautiful Mid‑Autumn lantern."

Families chatted and interacted as they crafted, breaking down barriers between neighbors.

As night fell, a moonlight concert lifted the festive mood. Kátia, a Brazilian resident living in Xujing, performed her beloved Chinese ballad. Her heartfelt singing drew warm applause from the crowd.

"I have lived in China for 10 years, and I am very happy living in Xujing, Qingpu," Kátia said. "I wanted to celebrate Mid‑Autumn Festival with everyone through this song."

Music and the full moon bridged language and cultural differences. Local and foreign residents shared the same moon and enjoyed the same performance.

The night's hand‑on workshops and musical performances breathed new life into traditional Mid‑Autumn customs, showcasing the inclusiveness and warmth of Xujing's international community.