Harvest Moon Festival celebrates coming of fall

WINSTED — The summer nights in half the world have come to an end, and the winds of autumn are upon all of us. It is the harvest season not just here, but in many places around the world including China. 

In celebration, The Gilbert School held a Harvest Moon Festival on Thursday, Sept. 15.

The festival is not the only part of Chinese culture to be assimilated into a quiet town deep in the Northwest Corner of Connecticut.

The event was made possible by both American and Chinese students who attend the Gilbert School via the school’s international program.

Event co-organizer Michelle Meyers said she is proud of the community effort.

“This is one of the first ever events at the school where we have seen a natural and happy integration between our students from America and China,” Meyers said. “This is to help Winsted connect to the rest of the world.” 

Meyers said that the festival is one that can be equated to the American Thanksgiving, which is filled with spending time with family, friends and eating great amounts of food, including the traditional moon cake. 

Resident Kelli Gilbert is one of the host families who takes in international students and gives them a home away from home.

Gilbert hosts two students, Oliver Sun and Simon Tia. Her own children have grown and since moved out. “I was not ready to stop being a day-to-day mom, and now I have more kids and a real family,” Gilbert said.

At the event itself, after the opening remarks made by faculty and event coordinators, a song was performed by Mr. Hu’s class. The song included singing by students Aniluz Dejesus, Nicholas Kendal, Raymond Lau, Avery Moon, Colby Stone-Kopp and Jacob Tran. A video made by some of the Chinese students explained the love story that the holiday is about. 

At the festival, the Confucius Institute from Central Connecticut State University gave a stunning demonstration that included dragon dancing, traditional Chinese weapon demonstrations and plenty of exciting and fascinating displays of martial arts given by martial artists ranging from age nine to fully grown adults.