10-12-2026 1:25pm

Lanterns and Crafts Highlight Bridgewater Commons’ Fifth Annual Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival

Donnella Tilery Editor

Photo credit: Bridgewater Commons)

BRIDGEWATER TOWNSHIP, N.J. (October 12, 2026) — Bridgewater Commons’ fifth annual Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival, presented by The Center for Cultural & Creative Exchange (CCCE), was celebrated from October 3 through 11 with the display of 20 illuminated Chinese lanterns, crafts workshops, and more on the center’s Lower and Main Levels.

Handcrafted by CCCE volunteers, some as young as 14 years of age, the lanterns rose as high as 10 feet tall and featured themes ranging from nature to pop culture characters.

On opening weekend, guests created their own — much smaller — lanterns, painted Chinese fans, played games and enjoyed other traditional crafts during workshops in the Event Space next to Vans on the Main Level.

“This year’s festival was bigger and brighter than ever, with more and more spectacular lanterns,” said Tom Kovacic, Marketing and Business Development Director of Bridgewater Commons. “Celebrating our community and its cultural diversity is a long-standing commitment by Bridgewater Commons, and we remain grateful to CCCE for sharing their time and expertise with our guests. ”

The Mid-Autumn Festival, also known as the Moon Festival or Mooncake Festival, falls on September 25, 2026, and is a cherished celebration centered on family, togetherness, and gratitude. Traditionally, families gather to share mooncakes, admire the full moon, and enjoy colorful lantern displays and festivities. Bridgewater Commons is extending the celebration to the next weekend to allow families to celebrate at home and share the festival with the greater community.

Established in 2019, CCCE is a non-profit organization founded in New Jersey. The mission of CCCE is twofold: to help preserve Chinese culture and heritage and to promote unity, harmony, and respect for all demographic groups within the community. Through sharing East Asian culture and art, CCCE provides several cultural events annually, including the Dragon Boat Festival, Mid-Autumn Festival, Lunar Chinese New Year, and many more.

Located along Interstate 287 at the intersections of Route 22 and Route 202/206, Bridgewater Commons opened in February 1988 and has become Somerset County’s largest shopping, dining and entertainment destination.

About Bridgewater Commons

Bridgewater Commons is one of Central New Jersey’s premier shopping destinations, located in a vibrant suburb in proximity to New York City. The 1.15 million-square-foot shopping center features a mix of premier retailers and restaurants with wide consumer appeal. Over 130 brands call Bridgewater Commons home, from well-known national retailers and restaurants such as Anthropologie, Alo Yoga, Apple, Kendra Scott, lululemon athletica, Popmart, Williams-Sonoma, Seasons 52 and Fogo de Chão, alongside popular local shops like Athletifreak and Zuted Vintage. In 2023, Bridgewater Commons celebrated its 35th anniversary and is owned by Pacific Retail Capital Partners, one of the nation’s premier owners and operators of retail real estate. For more information on the property, please visit bridgewatercommons.com or follow on social media: Facebook @BridgewaterCommons and Instagram:

shopbridgewatercommons.

About Pacific Retail Capital Partners
Pacific Retail Capital Partners (PRCP) is one of the nation’s premier retail operating groups of large open- air and enclosed shopping centers, with more than $3.0 billion in assets under management across the United States. Based in Southern California, the company’s portfolio totals 24 properties encompassing over 20 million square feet. With a highly experienced team that has a proven track record of generating value its stakeholders, PRCP is dedicated to evolving real estate for the next generation by working with the communities it serves to design master plans that transform its assets into high-performing mixed-use destinations. The vertically-integrated company provides end-to-end sourcing, assessment, underwriting, valuing, developing, marketing, design and asset management services. To learn more, visit pacificretail.com or follow on social media at: Facebook: @PacificRetailCapitalPartners and Instagram: @PacificRetail.