Spring into a season of family fun at Huayi – Chinese Festival of Arts 2026 at Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay from 27 February to 8 March. Make your way to the festival to enjoy kid-friendly shows where legends come alive, fun-filled workshops, free hands-on crafts and more.
The Huayi festival celebrates the best of Chinese culture through the performing arts. It is a chance for audiences – both young and old – to connect with the beauty of the Chinese language and culture in fresh and exciting ways.
And, to celebrate the Year of the Horse, there is an entire stable of exciting showcases and activities for the entire family to enjoy.
Family-friendly Highlights of Huayi – Chinese Festival of Arts 2026 at Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay
A Little Goes A Long Way
Familiar folktales about perseverance, resilience and grit get a fresh retelling in A Little Goes A Long Way. Presented by Sun Son Theatre from Taiwan, this entertaining theatre experience will enthral young audiences with stories about the land, ocean and sky. Using a combination of catchy live music, physical movement and clever puppetry, the performance will leave audiences with a renewed sense of wonder, marvelling at how “a little goes a long way”.
When: 6, 7 and 8 March; 11 am and 3 pm on each day
Where: Esplanade Recital Studio
Admission age: 6 and above
Language: Mandarin
Ticket prices: $35 for a standard ticket. Discounts available.
This is a Relaxed Environment performance and Assistive Listening is also available.
Purchase tickets to A Little Goes A Long Way
Parent-Child Workshop: Wiggle, Giggle, Make a Sound! A Playful Theatre Exploration
Join Sun Son Theatre’s artistic director Chang Wei Loy for a fun workshop that combines movement and sound. Parents and children can take part in playful exercises and drama games, learning how to express themselves in new ways. With a dose of imagination and a sprinkling of curiosity, every sound and movement can be turned into a piece of theatrical magic. It is an exciting way for parents and children to bond together with a wiggle and a giggle!
When: 7 March, 5 pm
Where: Esplanade Rehearsal Studio
Admission age: 6 and above with an accompanying adult
Language: Mandarin
Ticket prices: $50 for one adult and one child.
Purchase tickets to Parent-Child Workshop: Wiggle, Giggle, Make a Sound! A Playful Theatre Exploration
Wukong’s 72 Transformations
This concert by the Singapore Chinese Orchestra blends music with puppetry and captivating visuals to bring the legend of the Monkey King to life. Written and directed by veteran theatre artist Benjamin Ho from Paper Monkey Theatre, with original music by Singaporean composer Benjamin Lim Yi, the performance is a mesmerising way to journey into the myth of the Great Sage of Heaven and discover the 72 transformations of Sun Wukong.
When: 7 March, 7.30 pm
Where: Esplanade Concert Hall
Admission age: 6 and above
Language: Mandarin with English Surtitles
Ticket prices: From $32 to $98. Discounts available.
Assistive Listening available.
Purchase tickets to Wukong’s 72 Transformations
Free Programmes at the Huayi Arts Festival
Looking for even more fun ideas to celebrate the Year of the Horse with the arts? Don’t miss out on these free programmes that are open to all!
Huayi Huat Opening!
Chinese New Year is not complete without watching a lion dance and you can catch one of the best troupes in action at the Huayi festival. Award-winning Yi Wei Athletic Association (Singapore) will be drumming up a thrilling lion dance performance on Huayi’s opening day, getting the arts festival off to a rousing start.
When: 27 February, 6.45 pm
Where: DBS Foundation Outdoor Theatre at Esplanade
Get more details about the Huayi Huat Opening!
An Appreciation of Fujian Opera
Have you ever been intrigued by the costumes and artistry of Fujian opera? Here’s your chance to find out more about it at an interactive performance. Learn how practitioners use details like sleevework, footwork and eye expressions during a performance and you may even be one of the lucky ones to go onstage to try out a classic operatic technique or two!
When: 28 February, 2.15 pm
Where: Esplanade Concourse
Get more details about An Appreciation of Fujian Opera
Yapping with Frogs
In this Mandarin storytelling session, Jo Kwek and Ci Xuan will recount the “ribbiting” story of The Frog God, where humans and gods meet in a world ruled by frogs.
When: 7 March, 2.15 pm and 3.15 pm
Where: Esplanade Concourse
Find out more about Yapping with Frogs
Spinning Hand Drum Craft
Get creative and paint your own spinning hand drum. Customise your own musical craft to rattle in bright hope and joy for the Chinese New Year.
When: 28 February, 1, 7, 8 March; Sessions from 3.30 pm to 6 pm. Limited seats available.
Where: Esplanade Concourse
Find out more about the Spinning Hand Drum Craft
Run, Horse, Run!
Rediscover the story of The Zodiac Race from the Horse’s point of view! Kids can join in this interactive storytelling session, following along with Little Horse as she learns to be brave and to try her best in any race. Run, Horse, Run! is conducted in Mandarin and recommended for children ages 3 to 6.
When: 27, 28 February, 1, 6, 7, 8 March; Various times
Where: PIP’s PLAYbox
Find out more about Run, Horse, Run!
Join in the Fun at Huayi – Chinese Festival of the Arts at Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay
Take the family for a fun day out at Huayi at Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay from 27 February to 8 March 2026 and discover culture and beauty through the performing arts.
Get more details about what’s on at Huayi – Chinese Festival of the Arts 2026.
This feature is brought to you by Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay.
