10 Mid-Autumn Festival Events In Singapore With Dazzling Light-Ups & More

Mooncakes, lantern walks, stories of Chang’e – we’ve reached September, the month of the Mid-Autumn Festival, which falls on Sep 17. Many families prefer to keep it nice and simple, by going for a lantern walk around their neighbourhood, eating mooncakes, and spending some quality time together. If you want to take the experience up a notch and dive deeper into the culture and legends behind the festival, these places can capture your kids' attention, while you soak in the festive atmosphere.

1. Wan Qing Closing Fest

Head down to Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall also known as Wan Qing Yuan for some fun before it closes for restoration works! 

Get ready for a lineup of fun activities for the whole family. First, admire the MoonLit Legends where larger-than-life lantern installations are displayed outside the memorial hall. Next, go on an adventure to save Chang’e in Secrets in the Moon Palace. This mystery puzzle will definitely be an engaging one for the kiddos. It is best suited for participants aged 10 years and above with a recommended size of four to five persons. For cute photo ops, remember to stop by the Adventure and Timeless Elegance where you get to wear beautiful Hanfu clothing and snap pictures with historical backdrops. Complete the experience with the captivating performance of Moonlit Memories featuring traditional folktales with a local spin.

When: Aug 20 to Sep 15, 2024. Gallery opens from 10am to 5pm (last admission at 4.30pm from Sun to Fri, extended gallery hours on Saturday last admission at 8.30pm) Closed on Mon. Lawn opens 10 am to 9pm daily.
Where: Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall
How much: Free admission with ticketed activities
More info: sysnmh.org.sg/en/whats-on/events/wan-qing-closing-fest

2. Lights by The Lake @ Jurong Lake Gardens

Jurong Lake Gardens presents Lights by the Lake 2024, a magical experience for the entire family. This 15-day celebration is filled with activities, from cultural showcases to groovy live performances from the NParks Concert Series in the Park: Rockestra. Of course, there are also gigantic lantern displays that make the perfect backdrop for your Mid-Autumn Festival shots. These stunning displays are inspired by the gardens’ flora and fauna, and origami.

Themed ‘Moonlit Melodies’, the celebration also features carnival games, movie screenings and tasty treats. Kids will definitely enjoy solving classic traditional lantern riddles for an enriching and unforgettable evening under the stars!

When: Sep 9 to 12, 16 to 19, 2024, 7pm to 9pm
Where: Wave Plaza, Lakeside Garden
How much: Free
More info: nparks.gov.sg/juronglakegardens/whats-happening/lights-by-the-lake

3. Mid-Autumn Festival @ Gardens By The Bay

Join Gardens by the Bay this year in celebrating the Mid-Autumn festival with beautiful light-ups carefully designed by local art illustrator, Mr Lee Kow Fong. This year’s festival is themed ‘Celebrations’ and inspired by the childhoods of Singaporeans and iconic symbols of Singapore’s past such as Dragon and Pelican playgrounds. 

Other than lanterns and installations, the festival also has cultural performances and workshops that you can take part in. And don’t miss the lantern walk where you get to stroll alongside colourful lanterns and redeem a free lantern! For some tasty treats and exciting kid-friendly rides and games, stop by the Marketplace located at the Supertree Grove. Lastly, visit the flower carpet for an array of elegant flower displays and catch the light show, Garden Rhapsody – Tales of the Moon. 

When: Sept 4 to 22, 2024 (6pm to 10pm)
Where: Dragonfly Lake, The Meadow, Golden Garden & Supertree Grove
How much: Free
More info: gardensbythebay.com.sg/en/things-to-do/calendar-of-events/mid-autumn-festival-2024.html

4. Mid-Autumn Chinatown Festival 2024

Where better to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival than in Chinatown itself? Join in on a fun night, including weekend stage shows, traditional music performances and other cultural performances. There are also plenty of traditional Mid-Autumn Festival activities that you and your kids can take part in, such as Lantern Riddles and a Mass Lantern Walk. 

For those who don’t get to celebrate the festival in time, you’ll be thrilled to know that it will continue to run even after Sep 17. From Sep 23 onwards, visitors can also take part in the 'lantern adoption' event where you get to ‘adopt’ cute little lanterns for free and bring them home!

When: Sep 9 to 15, Sep 23 to Oct 2, 2024, 7pm to 9pm
Where: Location varies depending on the activity
How much: Free
More info: chinatownfestivals.sg/

5. To the Moon and Back with Chinatown Point 

This event is also held in Chinatown. Enjoy the To The Moon And Back pop-up that features dreamy photo ops, carnival games, lantern painting competitions, and most importantly, a chance to get your hands on the White Rabbit Candy Mooncakes! For lovers of the iconic White Rabbit Candy, be sure to check out the merchandise section where they’ll be selling themed umbrellas, pillows, candies and even utensils.

Shoppers will also be able to redeem exclusive items such as the Chinatown Point Mooncake Reusable Bag which is available on a first come first serve basis. Note that the redemption is limited to one shopper per day, with a maximum of three combined same-day receipts with a minimum spend of $188. 

When: Aug 19 to Sep 29, 2024, 9am to 9pm
Where: Location varies depending on the activity
How much: Price varies depending on the activity
More info: https://chinatownfestivals.sg/

6. The Race Around The Moon 2

Looking for a way for your child to gain exposure to Mandarin? This enriching play is not only a fun rendition of classic Mid-Autumn tales like Chang’e, Jade Rabbit, and Wu Gang, but it also features a unique twist. In this story, these three characters are presented with the chance to reunite with their families. But here’s the catch – only one of them will get this happy ending. Follow them as they go through this tumultuous journey to choose between friendship and their inner desires. 

When: Sep 7 to 15, 2024. Performance times are subjected to availability.
Where: Sky Garden, Gateway Theatre
How much: $33
More info: https://gatewaytheatre.sg/events/the-race-around-the-moon-2/

7. Hoppy Mid-Autumn Festival @ Causeway Point

Can’t get enough of the White Rabbit Candy hype? Causeway Point has another themed celebration that you wouldn't want to miss. The Hoppy Mid-Autumn Festival features a white rabbit adventure that is perfect for your little ones. Hop along for photo opportunities and even mini games where you can win exciting prizes. Lantern and snowskin mooncake-making workshops are also available all at a minimum spend of $50 for each activity.

When: Sep 9 to 15, 2024 (White Rabbit Pop Up), Sep 14 to 15, (Fun Bunny-Themed Workshops). 11am to 9pm
Where: Causeway Point, Level 1 Atrium
How much: Minimum spend of $50 for redemption of each activity or workshop
More info: www.causewaypoint.com.sg/promotion_detail.php?c=584&desc=Promotions&p=94241&t=hoppy-midautumn-festival

8. One Punggol Light Up 

Here is one for the Northeast residents — light up your Mid-Autumn Festival with the One Punggol Light Upl! From snack booths to music performances and even mooncake tasting, both kids and adults will surely be thoroughly entertained by these festival activities. Plus, you'll get to meet the rest of your neighbourhood community and celebrate this festive event together.

When: Sept 14, 2024, 5.30pm to 8.30pm
Where: Blk 259C Punggol Field S823259, Blk 259C Punggol Field S823259
How much: $8
More info: onepa.gov.sg/events/punggol-west-mid-autumn-festival-2024-35129245

9. Gateway Kids Club September Moon-themed Storytelling

Join the Gateway Kids Club for a month of Mid-Autumn Festival legends and tales! Available in both English and Chinese, these storytelling sessions are both interesting and enriching for children. In these sessions, children will be encouraged to step outside their comfort zone to interact, sing and dance with the storytellers to act out the world of these stories. Sign your kids up and look forward to classic stories such as The Story of Chang-E and Houyi, The Suns in the Sky and more. 

When: Every Saturday of September, 2024 (7,14,21,28 Sept, 2024) 10am or 11am
Where: Gateway Theatre
How much: Free
More info: gatewaytheatre.sg/gateway-kids-club/

10. Mid-Autumn Celebrations at Shuang Lin Monastery 

Lian Shan Shuang Lin promises an enchanting night under the moon with walks along lantern-lit pathways, tasty mooncakes and various cultural performances. Visitors can look forward to exciting performances such as a dragon dance, lion dance, festival drums, face-changing performance and more! There will also be musical performances from a Chinese orchestra, Teochew opera and even a violin performance. Plus, there'll be various food booths too.

When: Sept 13 to 17, 2024. The timing of the events will vary on different days
Where: Lian Shan Shuang Lin Monastery
How much: Free
More info: eventbrite.sg/e/toa-payoh-east-mid-autumn-festival-at-shuang-lin-monastery-tickets-1004621458827