What you need for a Mid-Autumn Festival

A Mid-Autumn Festival needs more than food and mooncakes. Plan what guests will eat from, where chilled and hot items will go, and what you need for lantern-making and children’s activities. Reusable plates, bowls, glasses and serving equipment prevent shortages during the buffet. Add practical items such as coolers, thermos flasks, extension cords and lighting before shopping day, because these are easy to overlook and harder to replace at the last minute.

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What to bring

Grouped the way you'd shop for it, with quantities.

Furniture

Party tentsqty 3
Tablesqty 10
Chairsqty 80
Buffet tablesqty 4
Bar stoolsqty 8
Clothes hangersqty 2
Coat racksqty 2

Tableware

Reusable platesqty 100
Reusable bowlsqty 100
Reusable glassesqty 120
Coffee cupsqty 80
Tea glassesqty 80
Forksqty 100
Knivesqty 100
Spoonsqty 100
Serving spoonsqty 16
Serving spoonsqty 12
Serving plattersqty 16
Serving trays with lidsqty 8
Thermos flasksqty 8
Water jugsqty 8
Small bowlsqty 20

Equipment

Coffee machinesqty 2
Kettlesqty 3
Food warmersqty 6
Coolersqty 6
Extension cordsqty 6
Power stripsqty 6
Portable speakersqty 2
Microphone
Speaker standsqty 2

Kitchen

Cutting boardsqty 8
Chef's knivesqty 6
Mixing bowlsqty 8
Measuring cupsqty 4
Kitchen tongsqty 8
Oven mittsqty 6
Aluminum foilqty 4
Food storage containersqty 20
Ice packsqty 24

Decorations

Paper lanternsqty 80
Autumn leaf decorationsqty 12
Artificial pumpkinsqty 20
Jute table runnersqty 10
Autumn-colored pennantsqty 6
Tableclothsqty 10
Chalkboardsqty 8
Chalk markersqty 12

Lighting

LED light stringsqty 12
LED lanternsqty 30
Rechargeable lampsqty 8
Batteriesqty 48
Flashlightsqty 8
Cable matsqty 8

Sports equipment

Conesqty 20
Rings of ropeqty 6
Hoopsqty 8
Soft ballsqty 12
Game cardsqty 6

Catering

Hot platesqty 6
Drink dispensersqty 4
Ice cube traysqty 6
Coolers for drinksqty 4
Tea boxesqty 4
Coffee and tea traysqty 8
Bread basketsqty 8
Dessert bowlsqty 8
Groceries
- Jasmine rice - 12 kilograms
- Noodles - 6 kilograms
- Chicken thighs - 8 kilogram
- Tofu - 4 kilograms
- Eggs - 120 pieces
- Carrots - 6 kilograms
- Bell peppers - 5 kilograms
- Cucumbers - 4 kilogram
- Spring onions - 30 pieces
- Pak choi - 5 kilograms
- Mushrooms - 4 kilogram
- Broccoli - 5 kilograms
- Cauliflower - 4 pieces
- Sweet potatoes - 8 kilograms
- Pumpkins - 10 pieces
- Onions - 5 kilograms
- Garlic - 8 bulbs
- Ginger - 1 kilogram
- Limes - 40 pieces
- Lemons - 30 pieces
- Apples - 8 kilograms
- Pears - 6 kilogram
- Grapes - 5 kilograms
- Mandarins - 6 kilograms
- Bananas - 5 kilograms
- Chestnuts - 3 kilograms
- Peanuts - 2 kilograms
- Cashews - 2 kilogram
- Sesame seeds - 500 gram
- Sunflower seeds - 1 kilogram
- Coconut milk - 12 liters
- Soy sauce - 4 liters
- Oyster sauce - 2 liters
- Rice vinegar - 2 liters
- Sesame oil - 1 liter
- Chili sauce - 3 liters
- Sriracha - 2 liters
- Hoisin sauce - 2 liters
- Tomato paste - 2 kilograms
- Vegetable broth - 3 kilograms
- Chicken stock - 3 kilograms
- Sunflower oil - 5 liter
- Olive oil - 3 liters
- Flour - 4 kilograms
- Cornstarch - 1 kilogram
- Granulated sugar - 4 kilograms
- Honey - 2 kilograms
- Salt - 2 kilograms
- Black pepper - 500 grams
- Chinese five-spice powder - 250 grams
- Cinnamon - 250 gram
- Star anise - 100 gram
- Cardamom - 100 gram
- Cumin - 250 grams
- Paprika powder - 250 gram
- Chili flakes - 200 grams
- Shredded coconut - 1 kilogram
- Puff pastry - 8 packs
- Cream cheese - 3 kilograms
- Unsalted butter - 2 kilograms
- Whipping cream - 4 liters
- Vanilla ice cream - 8 liters
- Rice flour - 2 kilogram
- Baking powder - 500 grams
- Dark chocolate - 2 kilograms
- Cookies - 8 kilograms
- Paprika chips - 6 kilogram
- Plain chips - 6 kilograms
- Shrimp crackers - 4 kilograms
- Hummus - 4 kilograms
- Rice crackers - 5 kilograms
- Coffee - 3 kilograms
- Black tea - 4 boxes
- Green tea - 4 boxes
- Herbal tea - 4 boxes
- Chocolate milk - 12 liters
- Whole milk - 12 liters
- Oat milk - 8 liters
- Sugar sachets - 500 pieces
- Cola - 24 bottles
- Coke Zero - 24 bottles
- Ginger beer - 24 bottles
- Sparkling water - 36 bottles
- Still Water - 48 bottles
- Apple juice - 12 liters
- Orange juice - 12 liters
- Alcohol-free beer - 48 bottles
- Pilsner - 72 bottles
- Red wine - 12 bottles
- White wine - 12 bottles
- Apple cider - 24 bottles
- Ice cubes - 30 kilograms
- Paper napkins - 1000 pieces
- Paper towels - 12 rolls
- Paper towels - 12 rolls
- Toilet paper - 48 rolls
- Garbage bags - 120 pieces
- Compostable bags - 40 pieces
- Dish soap - 4 bottles
- All-purpose cleaner - 4 bottles
- Toilet cleaner - 4 bottles
- Disinfecting wipes - 8 packs
- Hand soap - 6 bottles
- Hand sanitizer - 6 bottles
- Aluminum trays - 80 pieces
- Plastic wrap - 4 rolls
- Baking paper - 4 rolls
- Wooden satay skewers - 500 pieces
- Cocktail picks - 500 pieces
- Flameless LED candles - 100 pieces
- Craft paper - 20 packs
- Tissue paper - 12 packs
- Glue sticks - 60 pieces
- Children's scissors - 30 pieces
- Colored markers - 30 sets
- Wax crayons - 20 boxes
- Cotton rope - 10 rolls
- Wooden sticks - 200 pieces

Cleaning

Waste binsqty 8
Waste sorting binsqty 4
Broom setsqty 4
Mopsqty 4
Bucketsqty 4
Cleaning glovesqty 8
Hand soap dispensersqty 6
Towel dispensersqty 4
Toilet brushesqty 4

Tips

Count tableware against your final guest list, then add about 10% extra plates, bowls, glasses and cutlery. Buffet service creates more used items than a seated meal.
Plan two serving spoons for each busy buffet dish and at least one serving platter or tray per food section. Lidded trays are useful if food must be moved or protected before serving.
Allow roughly 2–3 drinks per person for the first hour, then 1 drink per person for each additional hour. Chill drinks in coolers before guests arrive and keep water jugs easy to reach.
For each lantern-making station, prepare a stable table, chairs, small bowls for materials and a nearby power source if tools or lighting need electricity. Keep extension cords and power strips away from walkways.
Check coffee, tea and hot-water capacity at least one day before the festival. Plan one kettle or coffee machine per active serving point, plus thermos flasks so queues do not build up.

Frequently asked questions

What do I need for a Mid-Autumn Festival buffet?: Plan plates, bowls, glasses, forks, knives, spoons, serving spoons, platters and lidded trays for the final guest count. Add about 10% extra tableware and provide at least two serving spoons for each shared dish.
How many drinks should I buy for a Mid-Autumn Festival?: Allow 2–3 drinks per guest during the first hour, followed by about 1 drink per person for every additional hour. Include water as well as other drinks, and chill the first supply before setup begins.
How much tableware do I need per guest?: Start with one plate, one bowl, one glass and one set of cutlery per guest, then add a 10% buffer. If washing up during the event is not possible, plan extra plates and glasses for buffet turnover.
When should I buy and chill drinks for the festival?: Buy non-perishable supplies several days ahead and complete the main shopping at least one day before the event. Chill drinks several hours before guests arrive; use coolers if refrigerator space is limited.

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