The Taiwanese American Association of Capital District in New York (TAA-CDNY) held its 2026 Mid-Autumn BBQ & Potluck in Clifton Park.
Having a barbecue and eating together helped connect the older and younger generations.
The Taiwanese American Association of Capital District in New York (TAA-CDNY) held its 2026 Mid-Autumn BBQ & Potluck in Clifton Park, New York. Families, students from the Formosa Association of Student Cultural Ambassadors (FASCA) Albany Chapter, and other members of the Taiwanese community came together to eat, hang out, and celebrate the holiday.
TAA-CDNY President Shou-Bang Jian said, “Everyone is usually busy, so it’s not always easy to get together. I’m glad we could come together for the Mid-Autumn Festival and enjoy time with family and friends here in the U.S. It was great to see so many young people come and help, especially when they stayed to clean up in the rain.”
A member of TAA, who is also a parent of FASCA member, stated “By volunteering and supporting TAA’s Mid-Autumn Festival event, our kids had a chance to help the community, spend time with friends, and learn more about our Taiwanese culture. It was also a great way for families to share the Mid-Autumn tradition with children growing up in the U.S.”
The Mid-Autumn Festival, also called the Moon Festival, is one of the biggest holidays in Taiwan. It is usually a time when families get together, eat good food, and enjoy the full moon. A lot of the people who came have family back in Taiwan that they cannot be with for the holiday. This event gave them a chance to celebrate with people who feel like family here in New York.
In Taiwan, barbecue has become a popular way for families and friends to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival. If you ask someone from Taiwan what they do for Mid-Autumn, there is a good chance they will say barbecue. Families often gather outdoors to grill food and spend time together. People also eat mooncakes and pomelos, which are more traditional foods for the festival.
TAA-CDNY continued this tradition at the event. Volunteers worked the grills and kept cooking food for everyone throughout the afternoon, while families brought their own homemade dishes to share at the potluck. There were a lot of different foods to try, and it was interesting to see how every family brought something a little different.
The event also required a lot of preparation. Before people showed up, TAA volunteers set up the grills and got the area ready. Albany FASCA students helped set up the tables so everyone had a place to sit and eat. Pickleball was planned for the afternoon, but people ended up hanging out under the shelter to eat, talk, and have a good time together.
Toward the end of the event, it started pouring rain, but that didn’t stop anyone from having fun. The FASCA students stayed all the way until the end to volunteer and help clean up. Working together with the TAA volunteers, they cleared off the tables and packed everything up in the heavy rain, showing what community service is really all about.
Overall, the gathering was filled with good food, lots of laughs, and great memories. The 2026 Mid-Autumn BBQ & Potluck showed what the holiday is really about: spending time with family and the people you care about. Events like this are part of TAA-CDNY’s goal of keeping Taiwanese culture alive and bringing the community together. For Albany FASCA students, it was also a great chance to learn about their heritage and give back through volunteer service.
Reported by Ethan Chiu (Albany FASCA)
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