The Mid-Autumn Festival is one of the most festive times in Singapore, one where families and friends look forward to getting together and reunion. The Mid-Autumn Festival 2023 falls on 29 September 2023, providing an occasion for people to get together and enjoy the full moon together.
There are many ways to enjoy the festivities, including special events and other things to do in the month leading up to the day itself.
Here are some activities along with things to see and do for the Mid-Autumn Festival 2023 in Singapore.
Mid-Autumn Festival 2023 in Singapore: Top Events At a Glance
Here are some of the highlights of this year’s Mid-Autumn Festival activities in Singapore.
| Mid-Autumn Festival Event | Where |
| Garden of Blooms | Gardens by the Bay |
| Lights by the Lake | Jurong Lake Gardens |
| Chinatown Mid-Autumn Festival | Chinatown |
| Garden of Lights with Sanrio Characters | VivoCity |
| Wan Qing Mid-Autumn Festival | Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall |
Get more details and more inspirational ideas of things to do for the Mid-Autumn Festival 2023 below.
What’s On for the Mid-Autumn Festival 2023 in Singapore
Garden of Blooms at Gardens by the Bay
The lanterns light up Gardens by the Bay once again in the evening for the Mid-Autumn Festival. This year’s theme is Garden of Blooms and will feature lanterns inspired by Chinese mythology and legends.
Returning favourites at this year’s light up include the Colonnade of Lights. You will also be able to see colourful lanterns that look like blossoming flowers at the Supertree Grove.
The festive lantern light up at Gardens by the Bay will take place from 15 September till 1 October 2023.
In addition, there will also be cultural performances, carnival games to keep everyone entertained as well as street food for sale to satisfy hungry stomachs.
By the way, did you know that Gardens by the Bay has launched its first-ever set of mooncakes this year?
Garden of Blooms
When: 15 September to 1 October 2023, 6 pm to 10 pm every day.
Admission is free.
Get more details about Gardens by the Bay Mid-Autumn Festival.
Lights by the Lake 2023
Jurong Lake Gardens once again turns on the charm for the Mid-Autumn Festival with Lights by the Lake 2023.
Marvel at the entrancing lantern displays at Jurong Lake Gardens where lively scenes will light up the night. The captivating displays promise a visual treat for everyone, providing a visual treat that covers historical accounts to natural wonders.
Walk through the Entrance Arch, which is inspired by the beauty of orchids. This lantern set is designed to showcase Singapore’s floral heritage and nature’s wonders.
Then take a wander through different lantern displays based on various wildlife habits around the world. From the African Savanna to the world of ice, these lanterns feature the world’s rich diversity.
There are also be lantern sets based on Singapore’s history.
Besides the lanterns, you can also look forward to arts performances as part of Art@JLG Music under the Moonlight. These performances will be held on five nights in September at the Wave Plaza.
Other activities for the Mid-Autumn Festival 2023 at Jurong Lake Gardens include Lantern Riddles and a performance by the Singapore Chinese Orchestra.
Lanterns by the Lake 2023
When: 16 September to 1 October 2023
Website
Chinatown Mid-Autumn Festival
This year’s Chinatown Mid Autumn Festivals will be taking place from 15 September 2023. There will be mooncakes to mesmerising performances as part of the festivities in Chinatown.
Other highlights of the Chinatown Mid-Autumn Festival include a lantern painting competition on 10 September 2023 that is open to the public. You can also pick up a lantern and go on a lantern walk with family and friends.
Get more details about this Chinatown Mid-Autumn Festival event in Singapore.
Garden of Lights with Sanrio Characters
Be charmed by Sanrio character lanterns at VivoCity. This lantern light up at the Sky Park of VivoCity opens on 31 Aug and will feature beloved Sanrio characters in giant form illuminating the night.
In addition to Hello Kitty, you can expect to find My Melody, Little Twin Stars and more represented at the Garden of Lights with Sanrio Characters.
Get more details about Garden of Lights with Sanrio Characters like Hello Kitty.
Garden of Lights
When: 31 August 2023 to 1 October 2023
Mid-Autumn Family FUN
The Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre (SCCC) and the Singapore Chinese Orchestra (SCO) are holding the first Mid-Autumn Family FUN to celebrate this festival with families.
The event takes place from 29 September till 1 October 2023 with 14 activities specially curated for families and children. The theme ‘Modern Traditions’ encourages families to celebrate Mid-Autumn traditions with a modern twist.
It will include inter-generational activities, workshops and programmes designed for families and suitable for all ages. Highlights include “xiangsheng” performances (also known as crosstalk, a Mandarin comedy performance) curated by Singapore Chinese Cultural Contribution Award recipient Mr Han Lao Da, and The Autumn Fair with more than 50 local and overseas creative makers.
Get more details about Mid-Autumn Family FUN.
Jade Rabbit Acrylic Pouring at Jewel Changi Airport
Over the Mid-Autumn Weekend, head to Jewel Changi Airport’s Canopy Park to take aprt in a Jade Rabbit Acrylic Pouring activity and take home your very own adorable Rabbit. This takes place at from 2 pm to 6 pm from 29 September to 1 October 2023. While stocks last.
Get more details here.
Mid-Autumn Adventure with Tayo & Friends
Celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival 2023 in September with Tayo and Friends at Downtown East. Activities to look forward to include a lantern walk with Tayo and friends and meet and greet sessions.
The Mid-Autumn Tayo Station Lantern Walk will start from the Event Square and make its way to Pasir Ris Park. You will have to bring along your own lantern but the event is free for all, no tickets required.
Get more detail on what’s on at Downtown East.
Wan Qing Mid-Autumn Festival 2023
The Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall is presenting the Wan Qing Mid-Autumn Festival again with a range of activities to celebrate Chinese arts, culture, and heritage.
For the Wan Qing Mid-Autumn Festival 2023, Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall has teamed up with various clan associations to present programmes for visitors of all ages to learn more about the dialect cultures of the Chinese community.
On the front lawn, you can also view the outdoor lantern installation. This year, the special installation is titled A Mid-Autumn Paw-trait and it features two giant panda lanterns.
The A Mid-Autumn Paw-trait installation will be on display on the green lawn of the Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall from 29 August to 1 October 2023, where it can be viewed every day from 10 am to 9 pm.
The festivities will culminate in the Wan Qing Mid-Autumn Festival Open House that will be held from 23 to 24 September 2023.
At the Wan Qing Mid-Autumn Festival Open House, there will be workshops such as:
| Parent-Child Recycled Panda Lantern Making Workshop on 23 September 2023 | Create eco-friendly magic as you craft an adorable panda lantern from recycled milk bottles. |
| Melodies in Motion: Hokkien Songs & Rhymes Workshop on 23 September 2023 | This workshops will be conducted by Jeremiah Soh of Singapore Hokkien Huay Kuan Cultural Academy. Kids will learn the Hokkien dialect through folk songs and movements, and get the chance to shine in a mini showcase at the end of the workshop. This workshop is recommended for children aged 4 years old and above. |
| Tales in Melodies: Teochew Songs & Rhymes Workshop on 23 September 2023 | Learn more about the Teochew dialect through folk songs and hear the stories and meaning behind those melodies with Lim Guay Eng of the Teochew Poit Ip Huay Kuan. This workshop is recommended for children aged 4 years old and above. |
| Parent-Child Hakka Abacus Seeds Making Workshop on 24 September 2023 | In this parent-child workshop, participants will work together to knead, pinch and roll these delicious yam seeds! |
This is just a sample of the workshops available. The full set of workshops can be found here.
There will also be an escape game activity on 23 and 24 September. Called Lost in Time: The Case of the Missing Researcher, the game is best played in groups of four to five persons and participants will have to search for a missing researcher.
Other activities at the Wan Qing Mid-Autumn Festival Open House include storytelling sessions about the Mid-Autumn Festival and drop in craft activities and other activity stations. Lantern riddles, mooncake, pomelo and tea-tasting sessions are also all planned for this Mid-Autumn Festival event in Singapore.
One Punggol Mid-Autumn Festival
From now till 10 September, there will be several pop-up booths for paper lantern paintings at The Plaza at One Punggol and families are welcome to decorate their own lanterns. Children and their parents can join in these free daily arts & craft workshop at the Hub and get creative!
The 1,000 lanterns painted by Punggol residents will then be curated together and transformed into a giant lantern art installation for the official Light-Up ceremony which will take place on 15 September 2023 at 6 pm.
Pasir Ris – Punggol Grassroots Advisers will be joining Punggol residents as they enjoy fun-filled interactive games and family-friendly activities such as inflatable bouncy castles and free snack giveaways.
The festivities will culminate in the One Punggol Mid-Autumn Festival 2023 celebration on 29 September 2023 with cultural performances, lion & dragon dance and a lantern walk for families. Pasir Ris – Punggol Grassroot advisers will again join residents in an evening of merriment.
These activities are free to the public. Get more details about the Mid-Autumn Festival activities at One Punggol.
The Race Around the Moon
With the Mid-Autumn Festival round the corner, Gateway Theatre has a new play The Race Around The Moon.
Written and produced by playwright Teo Pei Si, also known as gongxin, this play endears the trio of Cheng’e, Jade Rabbit and Wu Gang to audiences with their strengths and weaknesses exposed.
Having spent years on the moon as friends, Chang’e, Jade Rabbit, and Wu Gang now engage in a race against each other to earn the prize of returning to Earth.
The Race Around the Moon runs only on 23 September and caters to audiences aged 5 to 10. The relaxed performance seeks to convey everyone’s uniqueness, showing how each individual has their own strengths and weaknesses, and sometimes losing is not all that shameful.
The show encourages young minds to embrace their uniqueness, showing them that there is nothing shameful about losing since we all have different strengths and weaknesses.
What’s more, this September, in conjunction with the Mid-Autumn Festival season in Singapore, Gateway Kids Club will be featuring Moon-themed tales during its storytelling sessions, intended for families with young children through its Saturday programme at Gateway Theatre.
Families can look forward to animated stories such as “The King Who Banned The Dark” and “The Brave Girl and the Fireflies”.
Tickets to all these activities can be booked online. Find out more details about The Race Around the Moon on 23 September 2023, at the Gateway Theatre’s Sky Garden.
Celebrating the Mid-Autumn Festival in Singapore
The Mid-Autumn Festival is a great opportunity for family and friends to come together and spend time in each other’s company. Amidst tucking into delicious mooncakes and the flickering of lanterns, the festival is one that fosters a deep sense of connection and unity.
The act of sharing these delectable treats and marveling at the moon’s brilliance cultivates a space for meaningful conversations and shared laughter.
If you enjoyed this story, we think that you will also enjoy this one on mooncakes in Singapore. If you need some ideas of places to go for lantern walks, how about heading out to places like Sentosa, or parks such as Singapore Botanic Gardens, Admiralty Park or even Fort Canning Park.
You may also enjoy doing this Make-Your-Own Lantern Mid-Autumn Festival craft.
