The annual Chinatown Mid-Autumn Festival is back, taking place in the heart of Chinatown from 15 September to 14 October 2023 with the theme A Journey of Love and Celebration or 温馨同聚庆中秋.
This year’s Chinatown Mid-Autumn Festival celebration invites visitors on a journey that unites hearts, transcends time, and weaves stories of love and joy. The festival aims to bring people from all ways of life together in celebration and better understand Chinese culture.
It features the iconic street light-up alongside other exciting activities.
Amongst the activities is the return of the Lantern Walk on 23 September 2023, which last took place in 2019.
Chinatown Mid-Autumn Festival Street Light Up
This year, the Chinatown Mid-Autumn Festival street light up has been designed by Raffles College of Higher Education for the first time.
There are three distinct chapters of designs adorning the streets of Chinatown, where lanterns and sculptures encapsulate the unique facet of the Mid-Autumn Festival journey from New Bridge Road to Eu Tong Sen Street.
The concept for the Chinatown Mid-Autumn Festival street light up designs is based on following the iconic Chang’E and her jade rabbits on a journey to share the culture and traditions passed down through generations, eventually blossoming into the vibrant celebrations.
The journey starts with the third chapter – “Passing of Wishes and Tales”, which pays homage to the beginnings of Chang’E’s story, expressing timeless wishes, tales, and profound sentiments carried through time.
It then transitions to the second chapter – “Gathering and Preparing the Celebration” reflects the festival’s core and resonance with Singapore’s multicultural tapestry.
At the first stretch – “Celebrating Love and Having Fun Together”, visitors can anticipate a heartwarming scene where families and rabbits share lantern blessings while celebrating the Mid-Autumn Festival.
Finally, the journey culminates with the Chinatown Mid-Autumn Festival’s centrepiece light-up – a towering eight-metre diorama at Eu Tong Sen Street.
This features a family nestled within an expansive, whimsical lantern, evoking an atmosphere of warmth, amidst a tapestry of Mid-Autumn Festival elements. This symbolises the journey of love and celebration, binding communities, families, and generations together.
Lantern Walk
This year also sees the return of the Chinatown Lantern Walk.
Upon registration, participants of the Lantern Walk can immerse in the Mid-Autumn spirit as they stroll the streets illuminated by the dazzling light-up displays, from Chinatown Point to Kreta Ayer Square, where the weekend stage performances are held.
Participants will be entitled to a goodie bag which contains a cellophane lantern and delectable traditional Mid-Autumn snacks.
Priced at $5, registration is required by 22 September 2023.
Other Mid-Autumn Festival Activities in Chinatown
Taking place across the precinct, the festival’s Food Fair will be held at Smith Street, while the open space in front of People’s Park Complex will come to life with the Festive Fair.
The Food Fair takes place at Smith Street (the former Chinatown Food Street) from 15 September to 29 September, 2 pm to 10 pm.
The Festive Fair will be held in from of People’s Park Complex from 15 September to 29 September, 10 am to 10 pm.
Visitors can also look forward to family-friendly activities such as free weekend stage performances at Kreta Ayer Square across four dates.
The Chinatown Mid-Autumn Festival 2023 runs from 15 September to 14 October. For the full festival programme, please visit this website.
If you enjoyed this story, you may also enjoy reading about the Mid-Autumn festivities at Gardens by the Bay and Jurong Lake Gardens.
