The time of the year, the Mid-Autumn Festival season in Singapore would start today on the 23rd September 2017, for a month long celebration to 19th October 2017. Many beautiful lanterns, over 1,000 beautiful, handcrafted lanterns will light up the streets of Chinatown each evening, a very beautiful, bright and colourful grand display of lights and colours, a popular annual event that attracts both the locals and overseas visitors as well.
The theme for Chinatown Mid-Autumn Festival (牛车水庆中秋) 2017 is “Celebrations of our Traditions 《传统新意庆中秋，同心共乐贺团圆》”, emphasizing on family togetherness along with the return of traditional cellophane lanterns, the inspiration for this year’s Street Light-Up.
Chinatown Mid-Autumn Festival 2017 is organised by the Kreta Ayer-Kim Seng Citizens’ Consultative Committee (KA-KS CCC) and supported by the Singapore Tourism Board. Mdm Halimah Yacob, President of the Republic of Singapore, is the Guest-of-Honour for the Official Light-Up and Opening Ceremony (开幕典礼与亮灯仪式) on Saturday 23rd September 2017. From my previous experiences watching the Chinatown Mid-Autumn Festival opening ceremony from the side lines, the opening ceremony performances have always been spectacular and lively!
Visiting Chinatown for Mid-Autumn Festival 2017, observe the lanterns! Do you remember the lanterns shaped like dragons, rabbits, roosters and rabbits made of cellophane paper hung over bamboo strips or wire frames? More than 1,000 lanterns along Eu Tong Sen Street, New Bridge Road and South Bridge Road. They are all handcrafted by expert craftsmen from China, designed in collaboration with students from Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA), inspired by the traditional cellophane paper lanterns popular in Singapore during the 1960s to 1980s, a reminiscent of the colourful cellophane paper lanterns from the 60s to 80s era.
When you visit Chinatown in Singapore, you can’t miss the Mid-Autumn Festival lanterns on display, the lanterns are always well liked and received by both locals and overseas visitors. You can’t miss this big centrepiece lantern on display at Chinatown Mid Autumn Festival 2017! Measuring 12m tall by 10m wide, decorated with about 60 animal lanterns, located at the junction of Eu Tong Sen Street and Upper Cross Street. Keep a lookout for the large-scale lantern display sets of families representing Singapore’s multicultural community on the centre divider between Eu Tong Sen Street and South Bridge Road.
There are many activities and events taking place during Chinatown Mid-Autumn Festival 2017 till 19th October:
Family togetherness celebrated at inaugural Mid-Autumn Family Fest @ Chinatown
A new event this year is the Mid-Autumn Family Fest @ Chinatown (中秋“家”节 @ 牛车水) on 24 September 2017, where families and friends can take part in a morning of traditional activities associated with the festival. Held at the Kreta Ayer Community Club, there will be various hands-on activities, such as mooncake-making, tea appreciation, calligraphy writing and lantern painting.
Activities and Events taking place during Chinatown Mid-Autumn Festival 2017
Starting from 20 September, local and overseas visitors can look forward to finding a wide array of festive must-haves and treats from mooncakes and tea to preserved fruits and decorative ornaments at the annual Festive Street Bazaar (中秋街头市集).
For the arts-inclined, the Nightly Stage Shows (中秋综艺晚会) at Kreta Ayer Square will fill the evening air with song and dance performances by local and overseas troupes and entertainers that will amplify the celebratory mood during the festival.
The Chinatown Mid-Autumn Festival 2017 will draw to a close with the Mass Lantern Walk (中秋大型游灯会) on 1 October, where up to 5,000 people are expected to come together to mark the Mid-Autumn Festival under a moonlit night, topped with entertaining performances by local clan associations, overseas performing groups and dragon dance troupes.
More info on the event highlights for the Chinatown Mid-Autumn Festival 2017 can be found in the Annex.
For more information, please visit us at:
Website: www.chinatownfestivals.sg