The Mid-Autumn Festival falls on the 19th of September this year. From Chinatown to Gardens by the Bay, Gwen Pew and Chen Ting round up the best places to soak in the lunar celebrations.
4 Sep 2013:
City Square Mall
24 Aug-22 Sep
Get your fill of the traditional Mid-Autumn pastry – and some contemporary spin-offs – from renowned bakeries and hotels such as Baker’s Oven, Shangri-La and InterContinental Singapore at discounted rates at City Square Mall’s Delightful Mooncake Fair. To sweeten the occasion even more, chef Pang Nyuk Yoon will be giving a demonstration on the art of mooncake-making (weekends from 7-15 Sep, 7pm), while the Singapore Wind Symphony will be performing a concert titled City Swing, playing sweet swing, jazz and Bossa Nova tunes all afternoon long (25 Aug, 4pm).
180 Kitchener Rd (www.citysquaremall.com.sg, 6595 6595). MRT: Farrer Park. Various times. Free.
Chinese Garden
30 Aug-23 Sep
Admire the moon by the stillness of the lake at Chinese Garden, where lanterns will be displayed and Shaolin kungfu masters will be performing incredible feats of power. In addition to the usual festivities, some prehistoric visitors will also be making an appearance this year – life-size animatronic dinosaurs will be roaming and fighting within the gardens – and lucky kids might even get to go home with free gifts while stocks last.
1 Chinese Garden Rd (www.lanterncarnival.com, 9003 6612). MRT: Chinese Garden. Sun-Thur 10.30am-11.30pm; Fri & Sat 10.30-12.30am. Adult $12; child $6.
Chinatown
7 Sep-4 Oct
The home base for all Mid-Autumn festivities, Chinatown will leave you dazzled and entertained until well after the full moon has set. The opening night will see the official street light-up ceremony, followed by a line-up of multicultural song and dance performances and, of course, a beautiful fireworks display that can be witnessed along New Bridge Road and Eu Tong Sen Street (7-10pm). Be sure to also soak in the colourful enclave’s festive air by visiting street bazaars and nightly cultural shows, join in the first ever Chinatown Mid-Autumn Walking Trail (8 & 14 Sep, 7-8.30pm; each trail is conducted in English and limited to 15 participants, so book early by emailing hr_zhang1984@yahoo.com.sg) or participate in the annual Mass Lantern Walk (15 Sep, 7-10pm). There are also lantern making (31 Aug, 8-10pm) and lantern painting (1 Sep, 9am-noon) competitions at Chinatown Point to get you in the mood prior to the festival.
Various locations across Chinatown (www.chinatownfestivals.sg, 6323 2758). MRT: Chinatown. Various timings. Free.
Gardens by the Bay
13-22 Sep
Gardens by the Bay will be celebrating the traditional Chinese festival for the first time this year, with the Flower Field inside the Flower Dome set to be transformed into a carpet of autumnal floral splendor from 9 Sep onwards. A bevy of activities have also been planned for all the family to enjoy, from elaborate light displays to lantern-making workshops, and photography competitions to mindboggling Chinese riddles. Alternatively, sit back as local and overseas groups put on a range of dance, theatrical, opera and musical performances, which you can catch whilst being surrounded by a healthy dose of nature.
18 Marina Gardens Dr (www.gardensbythebay.com.sg, 6420 6848). MRT: Bayfront. Various times. Various prices.
GWEN PEW 