The Chinatown Dragon Boat Festival 2025 takes place from 31 May to 1 June from 1 pm to 7 pm along Chinatown’s Smith Street. This is an opportunity to enjoy two full days of cultural immersion featuring stage performances, interactive workshops and experiences, thematic zones, and exclusive promotions from local tenants, presented by the Chinatown Business Association.
The Dragon Boat Festival is one of the oldest cultural celebrations in Chinese history. At the Chinatown Dragon Boat Festival 2025, this ancient tradition is brought to life with cultural performances, hands-on experiences and more.
Chinatown Dragon Boat Festival 2025 Highlights
1. Stage Performances along Smith Street
One of the main highlights of the weekend is the vibrant stage performances happening along Smith Street.
Visitors can look forward to a mix of traditional Chinese arts throughout the festival.
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There will also be the thunderous beats of a Festival Drum Performance by students from Chung Cheng High School, and the dramatic flair of a Face Changing Show.
Audiences can also enjoy a Chinese Traditional Dance performance, a Harmonica Performance by the Singapore Broadway Harmonica Ensemble, and a Teochew Opera Performance by Er Woo Amateur Musical & Dramatic Association.
2. Lion Dance Performance
Adding to the rousing atmosphere at the Chinatown Dragon Boat Festival 2025, there will be Lion and Dragon Dance by award-winning troupe Tian Eng Dragon and Lion Dance Centre.
The Lion Dance takes place on
- 31 May, 1 pm to 1.30 pm; and
- 1 June, 1 pm to 1.20 pm.
3. Lantern Riddles
Visitors can also take part in festive activities such as solving traditional Lantern Riddles.
In this much-loved pastime, participants will be challenged as they have to put their wit and cultural knowledge to the test.
This takes place on
- 31 May, 3.30 pm to 5 pm; and
- 1 June, 2.45 pm to 4 pm.
4. Dragon Boat Rowing Race
The Dragon Boat Rowing Race is also going to make its return. This brings together teams and individuals in a spirit of friendly competition and community bonding.
In this land-based race, participants compete on dragon-inspired rowing machines in one-minute rounds, with the highest number of strokes winning a prize.
This takes place on
- 31 May, 2.30 pm to 3.30 pm; and
- 1 June, 2.20 pm to 2.45 pm.
5. Chinatown Dragon Boat Festival Workshops
At the Bookmark Painting Workshop, participants will create their very own dragon boat-themed bookmarks, while those looking for a deeper creative experience can partake in the Dragon Boat Canvas Voyage Workshop to create a dynamic dragon boat scene on canvas. Led by experienced instructors, the workshop is perfect for both beginners and art lovers.
At the Nyonya Chang Workshop, participants can discover the art of wrapping and preparing Nyonya rice dumplings. From savoury rempah filling to the symbolic wrapping technique, participants will not only learn the cultural significance of these festive treats but will also bring home two uncooked dumplings to share and enjoy.
Tickets for selected workshops can be purchased from Peatix here.
6. Art Corner
Head over to the Art Corner, a serene space within the bustling Smith Street, where visitors are invited to pause, reflect, and learn more about the Dragon Boat Festival.
Visitors can browse through a curated selection of books on seasonal traditions, pen their thoughts or well-wishes in the Festival Reflections Journal, and explore symbolic items such as mugwort bundles, festive bookmarks, and greeting cards.
7. Chinatown Smith Street Promotions
The shops along Smith Street will be launching a host of exclusive promotions in conjunction with the Chinatown Dragon Boat Festival 2025.
These promotions include:
- Elegance of Nanyang (31 May to 1 June): Enjoy 50% off Nyonya Kebaya Set rentals for the second person onwards. Receive a complimentary mystery gift with every two sets rented, while stocks last.
- Killiney @ Smith Street (26 May to 1 June): Celebrate with festive bundles including a Kee Chang Set at $6.00 and a Bak Chang Set at $9.00, created exclusively for this festival.
- Gelato Garden (26 May to 1 June): Indulge in their Dragon Boat Festival special dessert – a Banana Split inspired by the shape of a traditional dragon boat, priced at $15.
- Boon Tong Kee (31 May to 1 June): All chicken rice dishes will be served with rice shaped like a traditional rice dumpling (zongzi), adding a festive touch to every meal.
Admission to the Chinatown Dragon Boat Festival 2025 is free. Workshops are ticketed separately.
Chinatown Dragon Boat Festival 2025
When: 31 May to 1 June 2025
Where: Smith Street, Chinatown
More information about the programme rundown and festival can be found on Chinatown Singapore’s Facebook Page.
