This Chinese New Year (CNY) 2026, it’s a quiet, slow and low key celebrations for me due to the passing of my 姑姑 (paternal auntie, my Dad’s youngest sister) about a week before CNY 2026, missing her big smile, warmest and caring personality. Besides that, balancing a caregiver role for my Mum over the past few months took a mental and emotional toll on me.

Instead, I took this CNY 2026 period to take more time to rest while I am still finding a balance point in caregiving, running my photography business and other different areas of writing/work. Meanwhile, I am getting myself back in action, stepping up the gears and kickstarting the journey ahead in the Year of the Horse.

In most of my previous CNY greetings, I would usually publish it on CNY Day 1 of Day 2, for this year, I posted in on CNY Day 9, a special day for the Hokkien community, 天宫诞, 敬天公，求平安，愿顺顺利利一整年!

Once again, I would still like to wish everyone Happy Chinese New Year! As the Horse runs free and strong, may you charge ahead with courage and unstoppable momentum this year! 祝大家新年快乐，万事如意，身体健康，心想事成！马年大吉，万事如意，愿你新的一年马到成功！

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Taking place from 30th January to 1st February 2026 at SCCC and Singapore Conference Hall,  featuring a total of 25 cultural programmes, such as children theatre performances, storytelling experiences, carousel rides, interactive photo booths and family-friendly workshops. These programmes are designed to make traditions enjoyable and engaging for today’s Singaporeans, young and old.

SCCC CNYFF 2026

Featuring a total of 25 cultural programmes, here is a list of SCCC CNYFF 2026 programmes, there are both free activities and ticketed activities. 

List of SCCC CNYFF 2026 Free Activities 

• Finding Har马ny
• Year of the Horse Zodiac Forecast 
• “Roaring Good Times”: Lion Dance Showcases 
• “MA”rvellous Mission
• Huat-goes-round Carousel
• Photos for Prosperity Booths
• The “MA”rket Place
• “Nian” Is Coming (Part 2): Journey Back Home
• TGIF Music Station (CNY Edition)
• Tradition in Motion: Singapore’s Lion Dance Heritage

List of SCCC CNYFF 2026 Ticketed Activities 

• Cubs on the Move: Children’s Lion Dance Workshop 
• Dragon Up the Fun: Children’s Dragon Dance Workshop
• “Gong Xi, Gone Where?”: A Roving Storytelling Experience
• Rhapsodies of Spring 2026 (SOLD OUT)
• Treasures of Chinese Temples Tour

SCCC CNYFF 2026 Key Programme Highlights

There’s a great lineup of programmes on offer at SCCC CNYFF 2026, which programmes should we go? Here are some key programme highlights for you and your family!

Free

Finding Har马ny

One of the key highlights of CNYFF 2026, SCCC’s annual CNY roof garden art installation titled, Finding Har马ny. Check out the bright and colourful horse sculptures grazing and galloping across SCCC’s roof garden. 

Explore the Year of the Horse artworks with your family, have lots of fun, take photos and memories together, find out more about Year of the Horse Zodiac forecast.

On display till 20th May 2026, from 10am to 10pm daily.

“Roaring Good Times”: Lion Dance Showcases (Don’t Miss This!)

A key highlight of CNYFF 2026 will be “Roaring Good Times”: Lion Dance Showcases by five different local lion dance troupes, taking place on 31st January 2026 and 1st February 2026, from 1pm to 7pm, at SCCC’s Level 1 Concourse. 

Local lion dance styles, namely Fujian Green Lion Dance, Hainanese Lion Dance, Hakka Qilin Dance, Golden Lion Dance and Fo He Lion Dance, will showcase the diversity and vibrance of various lion dance styles here in Singapore. 

Don’t miss this “Roaring Good Times”: Lion Dance Showcases on 31st January 2026 and 1st February 2026!

“MA”rvellous Mission 

Make it a family fun activity at SCCC CNYFF 2026, embark on a fun-filled mission-based quest across SCCC, complete selected CNY activities to collect stamps to redeem festive rewards such as limited edition festive red packets (whilst stocks last), or a drink voucher (while stocks last).

The “MA”rket Place

Visitors to SCCC CNYFF 2026 can take part in craft activities such as couplet writing and seal stamping, accessories making and colouring with your family, relatives and friends. Enjoy CNY-themed theatre performances and sample complimentary festive snacks.

Ticketed

• Cubs on the Move: Children’s Lion Dance Workshop  
• Dragon Up the Fun: Children’s Dragon Dance Workshop

Fun programmes for the children! They can learn basic lion and dragon dance movements from experienced instructors, and try playing traditional drums and cymbals. 

“Gong Xi, Gone Where?”: A Roving Storytelling Experience

Children can join Xiao Ming on a fun-filled adventure and search for three characters hidden throughout SCCC to uncover the meanings behind three special CNY greetings!

Treasures of Chinese Temples Tour

Join a fascinating tour of Chinese temples located in Singapore’s CBD, discover their rich history, heritage, culture, and traditions, including how they prepare for and celebrate CNY!

Here is the list of temples to visit:

• Kheng Chiu Tin Hou Kong
• Yueh Hai Ching Temple
• Singapore Yu Huang Gong
• Thian Hock Keng
• Fook Tet Soo Hakka Temple

Tour is conducted in Mandarin, taking place on Sunday 25th January 2026 from 10am to 12pm. Meeting point is SCCC Ho Bee Concourse, Level 1.

SCCC Chief Executive Officer, Mr Alvin Tan, said: “This year, we are not only bringing festive cheer to the CBD and celebrating Chinese New Year in uniquely Singaporean ways – we are also shining the spotlight on our local lion dance troupes and showcasing the variety of lion dance styles practised in Singapore including the familiar southern lion dance, and the less common Hainan Lion and the Fujian Green Lion. In doing so, we hope to present lion dance as an enduring artform and a cultural heritage that Singaporeans can be proud of.”

SCCC & SCO CNY Family FUN (CNYFF) 2026 Information

Dates: 30th January to 1st February 2026

Venues: 

• Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre 
• Singapore Chinese Orchestra Concert Hall
• Singapore Conference Hall

For more information and details on CNYFF 2026, please visit SCCC website – https://singaporeccc.org.sg/ 

The post SCCC & SCO CNY Family FUN 2026 – Diverse Lion Dance and Many More! appeared first on TGH Photography and Travel Portal/Blog.

Tradition in Motion: Singapore’s Lion Dance Heritage Special Exhibition

This special exhibition at SCCC features over 50 artefacts, photographs, posters and figurines, highlighting the enduring significance and contributions of lion dance in Singapore, its diversity, innovations, and achievements of local lion dance troupes. 

A display of eight lion heads anchor this special exhibition, representing the variety of lion dance styles practised in Singapore, including the familiar southern lion dance, and the less common Hainan Lion and the Fujian Green Lion.

Learn about Singapore’s Lion Dance Heritage through three main zones

Learn more about Singapore’s lion dance heritage through three main thematic zones.

Zone 1: History, Traditions and Customs of Lion Dance in Singapore

The first zone explores the history, traditions and customs of lion dance in Singapore. They also reveal the intricate craft of lion head making, featuring a lion head made by Singapore’s last lion head craftsman, Henry Ng, shown in its first and final stages of production.

Zone 2: Singapore’s Lion Dance Culture Today 

The second zone explores Singapore’s lion dance culture as it continues to thrive in today’s Singapore. In this zone, visitors can view the Genting World Lion Dance Trophies won by Yiwei Athletic Association in 2023 and 2025. Visitors can also learn how our local lion dance troupes continue to embrace diversity by opening its doors to members of all ages and ethnicities, and adapting lion dance routines for senior performers. 

Zone 3: Pop-Culture Representations of Lion Dance 

The third zone showcases pop-culture representations of lion dance that highlight contemporary culture’s ongoing fascination with lion dance. Check out the vintage posters of films such as Once Upon a Time in China III to limited edition collectibles such as the Unipolar Fortune (Me)lion Dance figurine.

This special exhibition showcases lion dance as an enduring source of inspiration for cultural offerings.

SCCC Chief Executive Officer, Mr Alvin Tan, said, “Through the exhibition, we hope that visitors can learn more about lion dance, including its early roots, the unique traits of lion dance in Singapore, how it continues to be manifested through popular culture, and more. We also hope that visitors will not only feel proud of the achievements of our local lion dance troupes, but be inspired by their resilience and ongoing efforts to ensure that lion dance becomes not only an enduring art form but a cultural heritage that Singaporeans can be proud of.”

The key highlight for me from this exhibition has to be the display of eight lion heads anchoring this special exhibition. How often do you get to see lion dance troupes from different organisations/origins come together for an exhibition (or gathering) like this, beside lion dance competitions? This special exhibition might look small in size, however it is packed with rich and diverse content, on the history, heritage, culture, and stories of lion dance in Singapore. 

Come on down and visit Tradition in Motion: Singapore’s Lion Dance Heritage Special Exhibition, explore and learn for yourself, together with your family, and loved ones, how traditional art form of lion dance continues to innovate, and how it remains a vibrant symbol of culture, resilience and community spirit.

Definitely worth a visit to SCCC to check out this special exhibition on lion dance, there are other exhibitions ongoing as well. Just nice, it can form part of your family’s preparation for CNY 2026, to learn more about Chinese history, heritage, and culture. 

Tradition in Motion: Singapore’s Lion Dance Heritage Special Exhibition

• Venue: Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre (SCCC) Concourse Level 1
• Dates: 11th December 2025 to 30th April 2026
• Opening Hours: 9am to 10pm
• Admission is free.

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