Moon Festival 2026 Puts San José at the Heart of Vietnamese Culture in California

---

Are you planning a visit to San José for the 2026 autumn season? If you are looking for an authentic cultural immersion, you need to mark September 19 on your calendar for the 35th Annual Children’s Festival.

The 2026 San José Moon Festival

On Saturday, 19 September 2026, San José will host the Moon Festival, also known as Tết Trung Thu. This event is a celebration of the fall harvest and the full moon of the eighth month of the lunisolar calendar, specifically designed to honor Vietnamese art, food, and family traditions. The festivities are hosted at Andrew P. Hill High School, located at 3200 Senter Road, San José, California.

This is not a new pop-up event; it is the 35th iteration of the Annual Children’s Festival, meaning it has deep roots in the local community. The event is free and open to the public, making it an accessible entry point for international visitors and locals to engage with Vietnamese heritage through multicultural performances, calligraphy, and traditional games.

Route and Schedule Details

For those coordinating their transit to the East Side of San José, the following schedule outlines the operational hours and activity windows for the event.

Activity	Start Time	End Time	Location	Status
General Festival Access	12:00 PM	10:00 PM	Andrew P. Hill High School	Confirmed
Art Activities & Tò He	12:00 PM	5:30 PM	Museum of Art Booth	Confirmed
Food Trucks & Vendors	12:00 PM	10:00 PM	School Grounds	Confirmed
Cultural Performances	12:00 PM	10:00 PM	Main Stage	Confirmed

Traveler Logistics Guide

Navigating a high-attendance community event in Silicon Valley requires specific planning, especially regarding parking and local movement. Since this event takes place at a high school, standard campus parking will likely be insufficient for the expected crowds.

Ground Transport and Arrival The venue is situated at 3200 Senter Road. I strongly advise against relying on on-site parking if you arrive after 1:00 PM. Instead, utilize ride-sharing services via Uber or Lyft to avoid the congestion of the East Side residential streets. If you are using public transit, check the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) for the nearest bus routes connecting to Senter Road.

Optimal Visit Window To maximize your experience, arrive between 12:00 PM and 2:00 PM. This allows you to participate in the tò he-inspired sculpture workshops hosted by the San José Museum of Art before they conclude at 5:30 PM. These sculptures are made from colored dough on thin sticks and are a highlight of Vietnamese folk art. If your priority is the atmosphere and the full moon celebration, the evening window from 6:00 PM to 10:00 PM offers the best lighting for performances and calligraphy displays.

Budgeting and Payments While entry to the festival is free, the food trucks and sponsor booths will require payment. Most vendors in San José now operate as cashless or prefer digital payments, but carrying small denominations of cash is a safe backup for community-run booths.

Customs and Cultural Etiquette As this is a family-centric event (Tết Trung Thu), the environment is designed for children. When observing Vietnamese calligraphy or interacting with Vovinam practitioners, maintain a respectful distance from the artists and performers. This is a community-led event involving the East Side Union High School District, so following the directions of student volunteers is essential for smooth transit within the school grounds.

Regional Connectivity Impact

The Moon Festival serves as a significant cultural anchor for the Santa Clara County region. By transforming Andrew P. Hill High School into a public cultural hub, the event reshapes how visitors perceive the "Silicon Valley" identity, moving the focus from tech campuses to the diverse ethnic enclaves that define the city's actual demographics.

For the traveler, this event provides a centralized location to experience Vietnamese culture without needing to navigate multiple smaller neighborhood shrines or private celebrations. It integrates the resources of the San José Museum of Art with community-led organizations, creating a high-density cultural experience in a single afternoon. This makes it an ideal stop for those visiting the South Bay who want to see the intersection of immigrant traditions and American civic life.

FAQ: San José Moon Festival 2026

Do I need a ticket to enter the Moon Festival? No. The event is free for all visitors, including children and adults. No pre-registration or ticket purchase is required for entry to the school grounds.

What is the best time to see the art activities? You must arrive before 5:30 PM. The specific art booths, including the tò he sculpture activity provided by the San José Museum of Art, close several hours before the general festival ends.

Is there parking available at Andrew P. Hill High School? Limited parking is available on-site, but it fills up quickly. It is highly recommended to use ride-sharing apps or VTA public transit to avoid traffic on Senter Road.

What can I expect to eat and do at the festival? You can visit various food trucks, watch multicultural stage performances, participate in traditional games, and observe Vietnamese calligraphy. Children can also create folk-art sculptures.

Plan your transit early to ensure you don't miss the window for the traditional art workshops.

#SanJoseMoonFestival2026 #TetTrungThuSanJose #AndrewPHillHighSchool #VietnameseCultureCalifornia #SantaClaraCountyEvents2026

---

Related Travel Guides

• St Pauls Bay Malta Hosts Hoopla 2026 With Pop Music, Beach Events and Festival Experiences
• Lake Perris Music Festival Same Same But Different 2026 Becomes California Travel Highlight
• Peru Follows Mexico as Fiesta Tours Supercharges Tailor Made Luxury Travel With Personalised Journeys