一九八零年，第一届的国大中秋只是一个在吉隆坡国大文学院的普通中秋盛会。当时，它只是一个以团康与游戏为主的联谊活动。第二届国大中秋把活动转移到万宜总校的敦拉萨礼堂外部。第三届则以国大实验剧场为舞台，把联谊活动改为综合舞台表演。一九八三年，国大中秋开始以国民大学华裔学生理事会（简称CCC）旗下之子活动的名义，正式向校方申请使用国大万宜总校敦拉萨礼堂内部外作为舞台表演的场地。在一九八四年，国大中秋开始出版属于自己的纪念刊。
最初的舞台表演是以一种综合节目方式演出，当时的国大中秋与校外组织保持密切关系。一九八五年，国大中秋开始拟定主题。一九八六年，国大中秋正式成为国大学生会（Persatuan Mahasiswa UKM）的常年活动之一。第十届国大中秋开始举办展览会。从此，国大中秋就拥有两大主流活动，那就是，中秋文娱晚会及展览会。
在一九九零年，筹委们开始为国大中秋筹备主题曲。一九九二年，中秋十三的筹委们尝试以革新的本土化及马来西亚式的节目内容与呈现方式，突破以往节目互不联系及纯中华传统综合舞台表演。概念正式诞生。这使整体节目更能传达国大中秋的宗旨目标，并带动大马多元化民族间的和谐相处，民族文化与传统的交流及认识，进而提倡马来西亚三大民族和谐相处。因此，该届筹委也开始分发免费入门券给友族，鼓励他们前来观赏舞台表演。
此外，中秋十三的筹委也开始研讨工作，如举办讲座会。中秋十四的筹委把展览会搬到加影育华小学举办。后来的展览会则是在晚会的前两个星期左右在国大多元综合中心（PUSANIKA）举办。第十五届的国大中秋把“家”的概念注入了国大中秋的骨髓内，让加入国大中秋成员们即使离家求学，亦能感受家的温暖，家的力量。在第十六届的国大中秋，信念开始诞生及研讨组正式成立。
经过两年的努力，也就是在第十八届的国大中秋，国大中秋就有了三大主流活动，那就是展览会，座谈会及舞台表演。研讨工作的步伐开始稳健后，在第二十届的国大中秋举办了第一届的研讨营。同时，《点点滴滴》也正式通过成为国大中秋的主题曲。而在第二十一届的国大中秋也举办了第二届的研讨营。
在第二十二届的国大中秋研讨组的建议下，国大中秋出版了第一本历史文集《忆思省盼》。在这本历史文集里，集合了国大中秋历年演变的记载、受采访的历届筹委的看法及展望。
二零零四年，也就是国大中秋第二十五届，舞台表演改变了呈现方式，从以前的舞台剧改为歌舞剧。这是第二十五届的一个新尝试。第二十六届国大中秋，首次在加影市议会礼堂举办园游会。园游会内容有灯展、展览会、游行、综艺节目表演、各种文化特色的档口摆卖以及通过辩论会来探讨今届国大中秋的概念。第二十六届国大中秋也设定了一个代表性的永久徽章。同时也举办了新闻发布会以及重新把国大中秋主题曲再次编曲。
第二十七届国大中秋成功得到多家著名公司及政府部门的合作，使国大中秋迈向更多元化。高教部长也呼吁所有大专学习国大中秋的运作模式进行类似活动。同时此届是国大中秋历届来最大的筹委会，人数高达39位。除此之外也推出了《文化闹钟》及《扎根》。第一次校友聚会更在历届学长协助之下成功举行。
二零零七年，第二十八届国大中秋被高教部副部长拿督斯里翁诗杰拨款赞助。同时，国大中秋也被纳入马来西亚独立50周年庆典活动之一。第三十届国大中秋的园游会由加影市议会礼堂搬迁到加影乌鲁冷岳区福建会馆举办。国大中秋也出版了《寻根传承之溯源穷流》。
第三十一届国大中秋与一个马来西亚服务中心（沙登区）和APIIC Hair Arts and Education的合作协办下，国大中秋首次在加影 Kompleks Metro Point举办慈善义剪活动，并把所筹得的盈利全数捐献于星洲日报基金会。第三十二届国大中秋筹委会与新民华小校友会及家教协会联办亲子园游会。
第三十三届，国大中秋首次邀请MYFM成为国大中秋指定电台。此外，MYFM的DJ Jeff 和 Wayne也成为国大中秋的宣传大使。同时，首次在国大中秋的推介礼放孔明灯，而这项放孔明灯的活动更吸引了无数的国大生来到推介礼。第三十四届国大中秋首次拍摄微电影《PT是我的家》，以崭新的方式诉说着国大中秋的点点滴滴，并于舞台表演当晚上映，提升了观众们对于国大中秋的认识，也让观众们留下了深刻的印象。
第三十四届，随着媒体界日新月异的发展，PT34与时并进，把微电影的概念带入了国大中秋。PT的第一部微电影“PT是我的家”于舞台表演当晚隆重播出，反应热烈，令大众对国大中秋有了更为深层的认知。
第三十五届，意识到现今社会的孝顺理念逐渐淡薄，PT35应运而生，极力与各方面合作，成为第一个在马来西亚推广微孝运动的团体。PT35也荣幸地邀请到叶剑锋先生担任微孝呼吁大使，把微孝种子遍地传播，让微孝理念更广为人知。为了更有效率地把微孝理念植入大众的生活上，PT35携手与新民华小举办了花灯园游会，除了让民众们同欢共聚之余，也让民众们了解到自身在微孝理念里所应扮演的角色。
第三十六届，国大中秋秉持着行侠仗义的精神，成功在皇冠城举办了《玩转GO俠义》文化嘉年华，通过有趣的活动推广侠义精神，并言传身教地将部分报名费捐赠至乐善儿童残障福利中心。舞台剧蕴含“侠义”精神及精彩纷呈的文娱表演让民众乐在其中之余，更唤醒了人们心中的那颗善良的心。国大中秋所提倡的侠义精神，得以深深烙印在普罗大众心里，让人们在现今这自顾自利的社会里，重拾助人为快乐之本的初衷，感受侠义的温暖。
第三十七届，现今人们对于坚持理想及憧憬的意识逐渐淡薄，国大中秋以“忆开始“作为当届概念，提醒人们勿忘初衷，无论遇到什么挫折与诱惑都必须坚持自己理想。当届的舞台剧以前所未有的“T型走秀台“作为舞台，突破了以往舞台剧的表演形式，更获得马来西亚大专青年协会的青睐，获颁大专青纸飞机青年创意奖 - 卓越表演艺术奖。
Pesta Tanglung UKM (PTUKM) was initiated in 1980, at UKM KL campus. It was an ordinary Mid Autumn Festival celebration and gathering with some games and performances. 2nd PTUKM shifted back to UKM Bangi campus, it was being organized at the surrounding of Dewan Canselor Tun Abdul Razak (DECTAR). 3rd PTUKM changed the content of the event, from gathering to cultural performances. 1983, PTUKM officially registered as one of the activities under Chinese Community Council (CCC) and applied the permission to use DECTAR as the venue for the event. 1984, PTUKM started to publish its commemorative book.
Initially, the stage performances consist of different kinds of cultural performances. 1985, PTUKM started to develop and set theme of the year. 1986, PTUKM officially became one of the annual events for Persatuan Mahasiswa UKM. 10th PTUKM started to organize another major event which is exhibition.
1990, excos started to write theme song for PTUKM. 13th PTUKM started to fuse Malaysian style performances and localize the Chinese cultural performances. Besides theme, concept of the year is developed to raise public awareness about the importance of cultural understanding, and thus forming a harmonious society. In order to attract other races to the event, 13th PTUKM also initiated the effort to distribute free tickets to other races. Besides, 13th PTUKM also started research and organized seminar regarding the concept.
14th PTUKM shifted the exhibition to SJKC Yu Hua, Kajang. After that year, exhibition is conducted two weeks before Stage Performance Night at Pusanika. 15th PTUKM instilled the concept where PTUKM is a big family in members of PTUKM. Thus, undergraduates of UKM can feel the warmth of a family even they are apart with their families. During 16th PTUKM, The 7 Believes and Research department was officially inaugurated.
Seminar regarding concept of the year is also listed as one of the major event during 18th PTUKM. By that time, PTUKM has 3 major event annually. 20th PTUKM initiated the first research camp and theme song 《点点滴滴》(dian dian di di) was officially introduced. 21st PTUKM continued the effort of 20th PTUKM and organized the second research camp.
22nd PTUKM published the first historical record book for PTUKM, named 《忆思省盼》(yi si xing pan), which consists of the history of PTUKM, perspective and vision for PTUKM from its alumni.
2004, 25th PTUKM changed the style of stage performance, and presented the first musical drama. 26th PTUKM organized the first cultural carnival at Majlis Perbandaran Kajang. The cultural carnival consist of lantern exhibition, exhibition regarding concept, lantern parade, cultural performance and debate regarding the concept. 26th PTUKM also set an official logo for PTUKM, rearranged PTUKM theme song and initiated PTUKM press conference.
27th PTUKM successfully cooperated with many well-known company and government department. Minister of Higher Education also encourage other university to learn from PTUKM how to organize events. 27th PTUKM organized the first alumni gathering and published two books, entitled 《文化闹钟》(wen hua nao zhong) and 《扎根》(zha gen).
2007, 28th PTUKM was listed as one of the Malaysia 50 Years Independence celebration and funded by Deputy Minister of Higher Education. 30th PTUKM shifted the carnival to Persatuan Hokkien Ulu Langat, Kajang and published 《寻根传承之溯源穷流》(xun gen chuan cheng zhi su yuan qiong liu).
31st PTUKM cooperated with 1 Malaysia Service Centre and APIIC Hair Arts and Education to organize a charity haircut at Kompleks Metro Point, Kajang. The revenue is fully donated to Sin Chew Daily Education Fund. 32nd PTUKM cooperated with SJKC Sin Ming, Semenyih to organize carnival.
33rd PTUKM invited My FM to become the official FM. Besides, DJ Jeff and Wayne from My FM also became publicity ambassador for PTUKM. This is the first year where PTUKM introduce sky lantern for its launching. 34th PTUKM shot the first micro movie “PT is my family” to let public know more about PTUKM.
35th PTUKM realized the problem where the public awareness regarding filial has weakened, thus concept of the year is “Filial Piety” which encourage people to be filial to the elders. 35th PTUKM successfully invited Mr Owen Yap as publicity ambassador and organized a lantern carnival at SJKC Sin Ming, Semenyih.
36th PTUKM raised public awareness regarding the importance of helping each other through the concept “Conscience”. PTUKM managed to organize a cultural carnival at Bandar Mahkota Cheras and donated part of the revenue to Disabled Children Centre.
37th PTUKM encouraged people to chase their dream through the concept “Reminiscence”. PTUKM effort was acknowledged by receiving Graduan Malaysia Paper Plane Award – Performing Arts Excellence Award due to the innovation of using “T-shaped stage” during the Stage Performance Night.