This year, Singapore Night Festival 2026, the 17th edition of Singapore’s largest nocturnal experience in Bras Basah.Bugis, will uncover the stories of myths and legends associated with Singapore and the wider Southeast Asian region.
Singapore Night Festival 2026: 21 Aug to 5 Sep
Singapore Night Festival 2026 will take place across three weekends from 21 August to 5 September 2026. This year’s nocturnal festival in the Bras Basah.Bugis precinct will take place across four festival hubs:
- Museum Zone: Centred around the National Museum of Singapore, the Children’s Museum Singapore and surrounding heritage spaces, the hub will bring the theme to life through experiences and programmes inspired by the precinct’s heritage.
- Zone 1: Stretching from Funan to CHIJMES, this zone invites visitors to discover unique experiences ranging from a creative craft market at Capitol Singapore to interactive programmes and installations within the historic grounds of CHIJMES.
- Zone 2: Spanning Cathay Green to Waterloo Centre, this zone celebrates the creativity and vibrancy of the precinct’s arts groups and educational institutions through performances, exhibitions and participatory experiences.
- Zone 3: Anchored by partners at Bras Basah Complex and Stamford Arts Centre, this zone showcases a diverse range of cultural experiences, from xinyao performances and traditional arts to community-led activations celebrating Singapore’s living heritage.
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Children’s Museum Programmes at Singapore Night Festival 2026
Step into a world before Singapore’s islands were born. Embark on a mythical adventure at Children’s Museum Singapore, where legends come alive through music, storytelling and sensory play at Singapore Night Festival across three weekends.
Children’s Museum Singapore Open House
Race across enchanted seas, journey beneath the waves, and explore interactive experiences inspired by Singapore’s folklore. Visit the museum’s annual Open House, where admission is free for everyone – even grown-ups without children!
Meet mythical characters, enjoy hands-on activities, and look out for the giant oarfish as it appears throughout the evening. Bring your family and friends for an unforgettable night of imagination, heritage and play.
When: 21 Aug, 22 Aug, 28 Aug, 29 Aug, 4 Sep, 5 Sep 2026, 7 pm to 10 pm
Recommended Age: Families with children 12 and under
Activity Fee: Free. Admission is based on a first-come-first-served basis.
Before Kusu Island: The Baby Fish and the Giant Turtle (Ticketed)
Step into the legendary world of Kusu Island. Begin your adventure by crafting a glowing jellyfish lantern before diving into an unforgettable underwater world where every sense comes alive.
Follow two friendly fishermen on what begins as an ordinary day at sea, until a powerful storm sweeps them into a breathtaking underwater realm filled with vibrant coral gardens, curious sea creatures and the legendary Giant Turtle.
Guided by a courageous baby fish, journey through an immersive landscape of shimmering lights, ocean scents, tactile discoveries and using your lanterns, light the way and become part of the rescue as the timeless legend of Kusu Island unfolds around you.
When: 21 Aug, 22 Aug, 28 Aug, 29 Aug, 4 Sep, 5 Sep 2026, 7 pm or 8.30 pm
Recommended Age: Families with children 12 and under
Where: Lewin Terrace
Activity Fee: Bundle (for 4 pax): $48, $15 per child, $15 per adult
Before Pulau Ubin: The Great Animal Race (Free Drop-In Activity)
Who will win the Great Animal Race? Inspired by the beloved legend of Pulau Ubin, this free interactive adventure invites audiences of all ages to choose their champion, the Frog, Pig or Elephant, before helping them race towards victory.
Begin your journey at the Children’s Museum Singapore carpark by colouring your very own animal sticker, then follow the adventure to the giant animal installations outside Bible House, where your vote helps decide the fate of the race.
Surrounded by an immersive soundscape that brings the legend to life, every sticker adds to a growing community artwork and every vote counts. Follow the race standings announced each evening on Children’s Museum Singapore’s social media and return to discover which animal will be crowned champion at the end of the festival.
Date: 21 Aug, 22 Aug, 28 Aug, 29 Aug, 4 Sep, 5 Sep 2026
Time: 7:00pm – 10:00pm (Installation); 7:00pm – 9:45pm (Craft)
Venue: Outside Bible House (Installation); Children’s Museum Singapore’s Carpark (Craft)
Three Signature Festival Highlights
Festival-goers can look forward to three signature festival highlights that take inspiration from the myths, legends and stories around us.
These are:
- Tales of Earth and Sea
- The Lost Legacy of Fort Canning: The Forbidden Hill
- MALAM Projection Mapping Competition.
Tales of Earth and Sea
Tales of Earth and Sea is a striking projection on the facade of the National Museum of Singapore.
The work of Indonesian multimedia artist team based in Bandung, Indonesia The Fox, The Folks, it reinterprets local folklore, set to an original cross-border soundtrack by Singapore’s multi-ethnic music collective Artusik and UiTM Malaysia.
The projection mapping display will take place on Fridays and Saturdays, 7.30 pm to 12 midnight and Sunday to Thursday, 7.30 pm to 11 pm.
The Lost Legacy of Fort Canning: The Forbidden Hill
The Lost Legacy of Fort Canning: The Forbidden Hill is a 70-minute nocturnal walking trail through Fort Canning Park that uncovers the ancient secrets and myths of Bukit Larangan.
Explore the shadowed, historical secrets of Bukit Larangan, the Forbidden Hill, on an immersive 70-minute nocturnal walking trail where archaeological history, ancient myth, and deep mystery converge within Fort Canning Park.
This multi-disciplinary programme transports participants directly into the 14th-century world of early Singapura through a compelling combination of atmospheric soundscapes and live traditional Malay dance and physical movement. The outdoor journey charts the dramatic rise and fall of an ancient kingdom, mapping tales of buried gold, the historic freshwater spring that sustained early riverine settlements, and the enigmatic sacred shrine whose true identity remains unconfirmed.
This is a ticketed programme that will take place on 21 and 22 Aug, 27, 28 and 29 Aug, 3, 4 and 5 Sep 2026. There will be session at 8 pm to 9.10 pm and 10 pm – 11.10 pm (on weekends only).
Tickets are priced at $60.
MALAM Projection Mapping Competition
This year’s festival will also see the inaugural MALAM Projection Mapping Competition.
This competition provides a platform for emerging Southeast Asian artists, students and collectives to showcase their work and received close to 50 submissions from artists and collectives across Southeast Asia.
Festivalgoers can enjoy a mesmerising display of the top 20 entries on the façade of The Cathay during the first week of Singapore Night Festival 2026.
The top five submissions will be selected and remain as staple projections on The Cathay throughout the festival.
View these projections from 21 August to 5 September 2026, on Friday & Saturday, 7.30 pm to 12 midnight and Sunday to Thursday, 7.30 pm to 11 pm.
Birdmen by Dutch group Close-Act Theatre (21 to 23 Aug)
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Also worth mentioning is the Southeast Asian debut of Birdmen by the renowned Dutch group Close-Act Theatre.
Audiences can get up close with these mysterious, luminous stilt walkers dressed as fantastical, pterodactyl-like creatures as they roam alongside the stunning visuals, creating an unforgettable, multi-sensory experience.
The giant illuminated flying creatures will be roving the streets of the Bras Basah.Bugis precinct from 21 to 23 August 2026, twice per evening at 7.45 pm and 9.15 pm.
Starting at the National Museum of Singapore, the roving parade journeys past key stopovers along Waterloo Street, Armenian Street, The Cathay, School of the Arts, and Queen Street, before ending at the Singapore Management University Campus Green.
Lights and Installations to See at Singapore Night Festival 2026
Various landmarks and historical spaces will be cast in new light during the Singapore Night Festival 2026.
At the Armenian Street Lawn, local creative studio TELL YOUR CHILDREN presents a nautical installation titled Vikings of the Tropics, the work brings attention to the sea trade history of Bugis and Buginese maritime traders who used Singapore as a port hub.
At the Capitol Singapore Outdoor Plaza, visitors can encounter Once Upon A Time, a community installation co-created by weaver and upcycling artist Natalia Tan alongside students from local schools, supported by Official Sustainability Partner Cora Environment and Official Partner Perennial Holdings.
The Once Upon A Time installation features 30 unique animal sculptures meticulously crafted from textile waste, retired uniforms, and everyday discarded fabrics and draws inspiration from traditional regional folktales such as Sang Kancil and Sang Buaya and the historic William Farquhar Collection of Natural History Drawings.
The sculptures form a dramatic 3D hourglass shape suspended from an overhead truss to symbolise the urgent timing of biodiversity conservation. The installation also invites hands-on public participation, allowing visitors to add their own stitches, paillettes, and buttons to the ground-based artworks in a collective expression of ecological care.
At the Singapore Management University Campus Green, there will be works like The Dragon’s Tooth: A Legend of Becoming Light by Starlight Alchemy, which combines bamboo structures, refracted light, participatory elements and performance to reimagine monuments as sites of remembrance.
Another is You and I, Believing… by the Yellow Ribbon Community Arts Festival Committee 2026, a site-specific installation inspired by the Bras Basah convict jail in the 19th century.
Audiences can also discover THE BLOOMING HEARTS FORTUNE MERLION at Plaza Singapura, presented by UNIPLAY. The work raises awareness about plastic recycling while debunking common myths about recycling practices through a vibrant sculpture inspired by the Merlion, made from fiberglass and recycled plastic bottle flakes.
Inaugural Light Together Bras Basah.Bugis
Beyond the festival’s spectacular night lights, projection mappings, programmes and workshops, festivalgoers can also look forward to four more installations, presented as part of the inaugural edition of Light Together Bras Basah.Bugis.
Also guided by the theme Myths and Legends, Light Together Bras Basah.Bugis 2026 shines a light on colloquial myths and superstitions, creating tongue-in-cheek artworks that resonate with local communities.
All Things Singapore by National Library Board
Another series of activations being held in conjunction with Singapore Night Festival 2026 is All Things Singapore by National Library Board.
This features interactive experiences and live performance around the National Library Building and the National Archives of Singapore.
Find out more details about the programmes at All Things Singapore.
Singapore Night Festival 2026
When: 21 August to 5 September 2026
Where: Bras Basah.Bugis
Get the full details about Singapore Night Festival 2026 here.
