Everything About This Year’s Mid-Autumn Festival in Chinatown That Also Has a Food Fair

The Ghost Month is finally over. You know what that means—it’s time to head down to Chinatown to get a glimpse of the stunning street light-up this Mid-Autumn Festival!

The annual Chinatown Mid-Autumn Festival is back and will stick around till 14 October. Here’s what you can expect.

Iconic Street Light-Up in the Heart of Chinatown

On Friday (15 September), Chinatown lit up with a spectacular display of sculptures and street lanterns to usher in the Mid-Autumn Festival. And they’re just as stunning, if not even more dazzling, than previous years’ renditions.

For one, this grand lighted sculpture standing at eight metres tall is bound to have you whipping out your phone for a picture.

These spectacles are spread across different streets in the heart of Chinatown, including New Bridge Road, Eu Tong Sen Street, South Bridge Road, and Upper Cross Street.

Date idea: stroll down the streets of Chinatown, looking at the Mid-Autumn Festival lights.

Or, enjoy it alone or with friends and family. We don’t judge here.

At the end of the festival on 14 October, members of the public will even be able to give the street lanterns a new lease of life by repurposing the street lanterns under the “Adopt a Lantern” campaign.

What’s not to love about the festival?

The iconic street light-up was officially inaugurated by our new President, Tharman Shanmugaratnam, and First Lady, Mrs Jane Ittogi Shanmugaratnam.

It would have been apt if there was a pineapple sculpture light-up too.

Chinatown Lantern Walk 

Not a fan of light sculptures and lanterns? Well, Chinatown’s Mid-Autumn Festival also has other events lined up for you.

Perhaps you could consider participating in the Lantern Walk on Saturday (23 September). This is the first Lantern Walk organised by the Chinatown Mid-Autumn Festival in four years, thanks to COVID-19—the last Chinatown Lantern Walk took place in 2019.

Even if you’re not one for lanterns, you might want to consider heading down to be part of a first-in-four-years event lah. 

The Chinatown Lantern Walk will bring registered participants down the streets of Chinatown, from Chinatown Point to Kreta Ayer Square. At Kreta Ayer Square, you’ll be treated to various performances at the festival’s weekend stage.

It’s no race weekend Post Malone performance, but great performances nonetheless.

You don’t even have to worry about bringing your own lanterns—registered participants are entitled to a goodie bag containing a cellophane lantern and other Mid-Autumn snacks to fill your stomachs during the event.

You can register for the lantern walk here.

Food Fair, Festive Fair, & Weekend Stage Performances

Still not satisfied even with the lantern walk? Wah, Singaporeans are hard to please.

Fortunately, the festival’s organisers have already considered this and have even more activities for you this Mid-Autumn Festival.

There’ll be a Food Fair at Smith Street from 2 pm to 10 pm daily until 29 September, where foodies can find countless Instagram-worthy delicacies to feast on.

If you’re looking to por your mother-in-law, why not bring them to the Festive Fair at the open space in front of People’s Park Complex so they can shop to their heart’s content?

The Festive Fair is open daily from 10 am to 10 pm until 14 October.

And if you’re waiting for them to shop, why not catch the stage performances at Kreta Ayer Square from 7 pm to 9 pm happening every weekend? Hang back, relax, and soak in the Mid-Autumn Festival vibes.

A Journey of Love and Celebration 

This year’s rendition of the Chinatown Mid-Autumn Festival aims to bring Singaporeans on a journey of love and celebration.

From spending time with your loved ones at the lantern walk to purchasing a few goodies from the festive fair in the spirit of celebrating Mid-Autumn, there’s no doubt that this festival will leave you feeling fulfilled—be it through gaining a deeper understanding of Chinese culture and festivities or by fostering connections with other participants at the festival, including people from Singapore’s various communities.

And isn’t that the spirit of the Mid-Autumn Festival?

So, what are you waiting for? Grab your loved ones and head down to the Chinatown Mid-Autumn Festival!