Charlotte Chinese Story Time

🏮🌕 Lanterns are one of the most beautiful parts of the Mid-Autumn Festival.

In Chinese tradition, lanterns bring light, joy, good wishes, and a sense of reunion. During the Mid-Autumn Festival, children often carry lanterns under the moonlight, celebrating the full moon with family, stories, and imagination.

At our 2026 Charlotte Mid-Autumn Festival Cultural Fair, families will get to experience this tradition through beautiful Mid-Autumn lantern activities, including Jade Rabbit lanterns, Chang’e-themed lanterns, and other glowing festival crafts.

Children will not only make and enjoy lanterns — they will also discover the stories behind them: the Jade Rabbit on the moon, Chang’e flying to the Moon Palace, and the meaning of reunion during Mid-Autumn Festival.

We are less than two weeks away, and we can’t wait to celebrate this joyful cultural tradition with our Charlotte community!

📅 Saturday, August 29, 2026
⏰ 10:30 AM – 3:30 PM
📍 Marion Diehl Recreation Center
2219 Tyvola Rd, Charlotte, NC 28210

This is a free family event with many hands-on activity tables, including lantern crafts, mooncake making, face painting, shadow puppetry, calligraphy, games with prizes, photo wall, and more.

Come join Charlotte Chinese Story Time for a day filled with light, stories, culture, and family memories. 🌕🐰🏮

Organized by Charlotte Chinese Story Time
Sponsored by United Chinese American / United Chinese American Community Foundation United Chinese Americans - UCA

Upcoming Events at Charlotte Chinese Story Time!

Our fall calendar is here — mark your dates and come join us for these fun, family-friendly activities!

📅 Aug 16, 3–6 PM — Lemonade and Treat Stand
📅 Aug 29 10:30 AM -3:30 PM— Mid-Autumn Festival Cultural Fair
📅 Sept 5, 10 AM–12 PM — Baduanjin Workshop
📅 Sept 5, 1–3 PM — Children’s Theater Auditions
📅 Sept 5, 3–4:30 PM — 2027 Lunar New Year Showcase Host Auditions
📅 Sept 6, 4–6 PM — Kung Fu Fan Workshop
📅 Sept 19, 10–11 AM — Mid-Autumn Themed Chinese storytime
📅 Sept 19, 1–3 PM — Five Animal Frolics (Wuqinxi) Workshop

Families and children of all backgrounds welcome — see you there!

This Sunday, a few small hands are running a big-hearted stand! 🍋

Our CCST kids are hosting a Lemonade & Treats Stand this Sunday, August 16th, starting at 3:00 PM — and every cup, cookie, and popsicle sold helps keep Charlotte Chinese Story Time's programs free for local families.

On the menu: fresh strawberry and classic lemonade, a taro milk tea double grass jelly bowl, homemade egg tarts, and fruit popsicles — all made with love by our kids and volunteers.

Come support these young entrepreneurs, cool off with a treat, and help us keep free Chinese language and cultural programs going for children across Charlotte. We accept cash, Zelle, PayPal, Venmo, credit cards, and Apple Pay.

We can't wait to see you there! 💛

🌕🐰 Every child participant will receive a Jade Rabbit headband at our Mid-Autumn Festival Cultural Fair!

At this year’s 2026 Charlotte Mid-Autumn Festival Cultural Fair, children will not only enjoy hands-on crafts, games, mooncakes, lanterns, face stickers and shadow puppetry — they will also receive a cute little Jade Rabbit headband when they arrive!

In Chinese Mid-Autumn traditions, the rabbit is more than just a sweet holiday symbol. The Jade Rabbit is said to live on the moon with Chang’e, quietly making magical medicine and keeping her company in the Moon Palace. Over time, the Jade Rabbit became a symbol of kindness, purity, good wishes, and the beauty of the full moon.

We hope this little bunny headband will help children step into the story, connect with the legend, and feel the magic of Mid-Autumn Festival in a fun and memorable way. 🐇✨

Bring your family and celebrate with us through stories, art, culture, games, and joyful community moments!

📅 Saturday, August 29, 2026
⏰ 10:30 AM – 3:30 PM
📍 Marion Diehl Recreation Center
2219 Tyvola Rd, Charlotte, NC 28210

🎟️ Free event — registration preferred
https://www.cltchinesestorytime.org/event-details/2026-ccst-mid-autumn-festival-cultural-fair

Organized by Charlotte Chinese Story Time
Sponsored by United Chinese American / United Chinese American Community Foundation United Chinese Americans - UCA

🌕🏮 Charlotte Chinese Story Time’s Mid-Autumn Festival Cultural Fair is coming on August 29th — and we’d love for your whole family to join us!

Mid-Autumn Festival is one of the most meaningful holidays in Chinese culture — a time for reunion, gratitude, and family togetherness. This year, we’re bringing the holiday to life with a full day of hands-on activities, traditional games, storytelling, and delicious treats for children and families of all backgrounds.

What to expect:
🌙 Moon Lamp DIY — craft a glowing moon to take home
🐰 Jade Rabbit Sachet DIY
🎨 Mid-Autumn Face Stickers
🥮 Snow Skin Mooncake Making — make it, then enjoy it!
🏮 Dunhuang Jade Rabbit Lantern DIY
📸 Mid-Autumn Photo Wall
🎭 “Chang’e Flies to the Moon” Shadow Puppet Show
🧩 English Brain Teasers — fun for the whole family, no Chinese required
🖌️ Chinese Calligraphy
🏺 Pitch-Pot Game with prizes
⭕ Ring Toss with prizes
🏹 “Hou Yi Shoots the Suns” Archery Game with prizes
…and more!

Whether your family celebrates Mid-Autumn Festival every year, or this is your first time learning about it — everyone is welcome. This is a day for children to explore Chinese culture through play, and for families of all backgrounds to come together under the same beautiful moon. 💛

Event Details:
📅 Saturday, August 29, 2026
⏰ 10:30 AM – 3:30 PM
📍 Marion Diehl Recreation Center, 2219 Tyvola Rd, Charlotte, NC 28210
🎟️ This event is FREE and open to the public

📝 Scan the QR code on the flyer to register!

We’re so grateful to our sponsors, United Chinese Americans and the United Chinese Americans Community Foundation, United Chinese Americans - UCA for supporting this celebration of children’s cultural education and community connection.

We can’t wait to celebrate with you — see you under the same moon! 🌕👨‍👩‍👧‍👦

🎉 Call for Group Performances — Applications Now Open!

Charlotte Chinese Story Time is pleased to invite community organizations, cultural groups, dance schools, music ensembles, and youth performance teams to apply for the 2027 Charlotte Children’s Lunar New Year Showcase.

This annual celebration brings children and families together through music, dance, cultural traditions, and the performing arts. We welcome youth group performances that are joyful, family-friendly, and culturally or artistically meaningful.

📍 Venue: Knight Theater, Charlotte, NC
📅 Performance: Saturday afternoon, January 30, 2027
🎭 Required Rehearsal: Saturday morning, January 30, 2027

Application Guidelines:
• Group performances only; individual applications will not be accepted
• Recommended performance length: 3–5 minutes
• Please submit a separate application for each proposed performance
• Submission does not guarantee selection

📲 Scan the QR code on the poster or apply here:
https://forms.gle/nZRn825HihoPdjX2A

Questions may be directed to our Executive Directors:
Meiyi Lin: [email protected]
Ying Lin: [email protected]

We look forward to celebrating the Lunar New Year with talented young performers and cultural groups from across our community!

This project is supported, in part, by the Arts & Science Council. Arts & Science Council

2027 Charlotte Children’s Lunar New Year Showcase Group Performance Application Form Deadline: September 30th, 2026 请由指导老师、团队负责人或授权代表填写。 To be completed by an instructor, team leader, or authorized representative. 活动信息 Event Information 演出时间：2027年1月30日（星期六）下午 彩排时间...

🍋 CCST Kids’ Lemonade & Treats Stand

Join us this Saturday for a sweet afternoon of homemade treats, community, and giving back!

Our little entrepreneurs have been busy making fresh-squeezed lemonade, delicious desserts, and summer treats—all with love and a purpose. Every purchase will support Charlotte Chinese Story Time (CCST) and help us continue providing free Chinese language and cultural programs for children and families in our community.

On the Menu
* Fresh-Squeezed Lemonade ($1 / $2)
* Taro Milk Tea Grass Jelly Bowl ($5)
* Freeze Pops ($1 for 2)
* Homemade Portuguese Egg Tarts ($2 each)

📅 Date & Time
Saturday, July 18, 2026
Starting at 3:00 PM

📍 Location
15440 Prescott Hill Ave
Charlotte, NC 28277

💳 Payment Methods
Cash, Zelle, PayPal, Venmo, Credit Cards, and Apple Pay are accepted.

Every cup of lemonade and every treat purchased helps create more opportunities for children to learn, connect, and celebrate Chinese language and culture through CCST’s free community programs.

Thank you for being part of our village. We can’t wait to see you there!

2027 Charlotte Children Lunar New Year Showcase — Youth Host Auditions

🎤 Calling all confident, chatty, stage-loving kids ages 8–14! 🎤

Charlotte Chinese Story Time is recruiting youth hosts for the 2027 Charlotte Children Lunar New Year Showcase! If your child loves being in the spotlight, telling stories, and speaking in front of an audience — this is their chance to shine.

Who should audition?
✅ Ages 8–14
✅ Fluent in Mandarin Chinese
✅ Clear, confident speaking voice
✅ Comfortable on stage
✅ Responsible and able to commit to rehearsals

Audition Format:
🌸 Part 1 – Poetry Recitation
Prepare a short Chinese poem (about 1 minute).
🌸 Part 2 – Spoken Presentation
Talk for a few minutes about a topic such as:
A sports event you watched
A performance or show you enjoyed
An activity you participated in
A trip or memorable experience
Your favorite festival

We're looking for natural, expressive storytelling — kids who can clearly share their thoughts and ideas!

📅 Audition Date: Saturday, September 5, 2026
🕒 Time: 3:00 PM – 4:30 PM
📍 Location: South County Library, Community Room A
5801 Rea Rd, Charlotte, NC 28277

What your child will gain:
🌟 Professional hosting skills training
🌟 Mandarin speech & presentation coaching
🌟 Stage etiquette guidance
🌟 An official hosting role in the Showcase
🌟 Valuable stage performance experience

💰 Good news: Host training is completely FREE, thanks to generous support from the Arts & Science Council. Families only need to prepare a costume if their child is selected.

📝 Sign up here: https://forms.gle/vPQgfB4txjyW5hS96
📧 Questions? Contact us at [email protected]

Don't miss this chance for your child to find their voice and shine on stage! We can't wait to meet our future stars! ✨

Casting Call: Original Children’s Theater Production

For the 2027 Children’s Lunar New Year Showcase, Charlotte Chinese Story Time (CCST) is casting 8–10 young performers, ages 6–12, for a brand-new original theater production in Chinese!

✨ Who can audition
• Ages 6–12, comfortable speaking Chinese
• Loves acting, able to attend rehearsals

🎤 Audition prep — choose one: recite a Chinese poem, or tell a 1–2 minute story in Chinese.

📅 Saturday, September 5, 2026 | 1:00–3:00 PM
📍 South County Library Community Room A, 5801 Rea Rd, Charlotte, NC 28277

💛 Supported in part by the Arts & Science Council Arts & Science Council — participation is free! Families only cover costume costs.

Every role matters — every child on stage is a star! ⭐

👉 Scan the QR code to register.

Casting Call for an Original Children’s Theater Production 2027 Children’s Lunar New Year Showcase Charlotte Chinese Story Time is inviting children ages 6–12 to audition for an original children’s theater production as part of the 2027 Children’s Lunar New Year Showcase. We are looking for 8–10 young actors who love performing, storytelling, recitation, acting, and Chinese culture. Selec...