Things to Do at Singapore Chinatown During the Mid-Autumn Festival

Entertaining Activities to Perform at Singapore Chinatown During Mid-Autumn Festival

Many East and Southeast people celebrate this Mid-autumn festival called Mooncake festival or Moon festival. This festival has a long history; about 3000 years back, the Chinese king worshipped the moon for a bountiful harvest, and it is the most important festival after the Chinese New Year. Chinese people believe that the moon will be at its brightest and fullest size on the 15th day of the 8th month of the Chinese lunisolar calendar, this same day the festival is celebrated. Carrying and displaying all sizes of lanterns and eating the mooncake is famous at the festival. 

Chinese people believe that displaying lanterns will guide them to the path of longevity and good luck. A family gathering, thanksgiving and praying are the activities that people carry out in the festival. They celebrate it in China, Singapore, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Japan, Korea, the USA, Canada, and other countries. In this article, we will be discussing things to do at Chinatown during the Mid-Autumn festival. 

Activities with Pictures That Travelers Can Enjoy

Mid-autumn festival is one of the Singapore public holidays, and the celebration of this festival begins once the sun goes down. It brings the family together. One of the things travellers can enjoy is moon-viewing parties. Family and friends gather and sit together in the garden, lit by paper lanterns, sip tea with crispy mooncake.

Lanterns

Chinatown will be glowing beautifully with paper lantern-shaped cars to cartoon characters during the Mid-Autumn Festival. Children love this festival because they can light lanterns. With the advancement in technology nowadays, lanterns are made of plastics also, and some are battery operated. 

Mooncakes

Undoubtedly, the highlight of this festival is crispy mooncakes. People enjoy mooncakes with strong Chinese tea. Traditional mooncakes are made of lotus seed paste and the yolk of an egg, whereas champagne truffle and chocolate are also mixed in pancakes nowadays. 

Past-Year Decorations in Chinatown During Mid-Autumn Festival and Their Significance

All the activities at Chinatown during the Mid-Autumn festival last year were virtual due to global pandemic covid-19. The official light-up and the opening ceremony were virtual. People could stream it live on the Facebook page on the date 17 October 2020.

Street light-up

Street light-up was started on 17 September, and it continued till 16 October, and travelers enjoyed the breathtaking view of 700 lanterns and Sculptures, which were placed on New Bridge Road, Eu Tong Sen Street, and South Bridge Road. There was the 10-centimetre centerpiece at the junction of Eu Tong Sen Street and Upper Cross Street. Travelers enjoyed that view online also. Due to global pandemic covid-19, there were not events like lantern walk, live performance, festive bazaars, but there were plenty of programs online. People believe that lighting lanterns will bring good luck to them. Bringing together Singaporean as a family to overcome difficulties and hurdles; for this reason, lanterns were placed all over the road. 

Garden by The Bay

There were 2000 lanterns with different colors by various community groups. People could see them in the outdoor areas of the Garden by the bay. 

Online Lantern Painting Competition

Another interesting event that happened last year was the online lantern painting competition. Children of age 3-16 participated in that tournament, and the first prize was $300.

360 Virtual Tour

For the first time in the Mid-Autumn festival’s history, people were enjoying the opening ceremony and street light-up from their comfortable place at their home through aerial photography. 

Places to Buy the Best Mooncakes in Chinatown

It is a Chinese pastry eaten at the Mid-Autumn festival. Mid-Autumn festival is one of the most important Chinese festivals. At this festival, family and friends gather up and enjoy the Mooncake. 

Peach Garden

Mooncakes available in the peach garden are prepared from fresh ingredients without the addition of artificial flavor. A Box of 4 baked mooncakes cost $67.41, and a box of 8 snow skin Mooncakes cost $66.34. 

Yan 

This Cantonese restaurant’s Mix and Match set, which costs $68, is the perfect setting to enjoy delicious Mooncake. Generally, two flavors are available, white lotus paste with single yolk and macadamia nuts with white lotus paste. For fruit lovers, mao shan wang durian snow skin mooncake is also available. Its thousand layered mooncakes are also famous, which costs $33 for two. 

Feng Shui Inn

The variant of snow skin mooncake is available here. They are adding nourishing ingredients in snow skin mooncake to help boost immunity, and they are also reducing the sugar content in Mooncake. They have also added antioxidants in the mooncake to prevent it from oxidation and to preserve its actual quality. The favorite mooncake variant is rose lingzhi spores with longan. 

Old Seng Choong

Mini mao shan wan snow skin mooncakes are a mooncake with a creamy center. Four baked treats prepared naturally without the addition of artificial preservatives just cost $88.80 for eight pieces. From baked treats to loose tea leaves, its premium box costing $168, offers varieties.

Swensen’s 

The people-loving Swensen’s ice cream must try its mochi snow skin mooncake, which costs only $10.90 for one piece and $39.80 for four pieces. 

Other famous restaurants include Marmalade pantry, Crowne Plaza Hotel, Madame fan, Shangri-La hotel, Goodwood Park Hotel, Mdm ling, Regent Singapore, etc.

Conclusion

The mid-autumn festival is celebrated with great joy in Chinatown. The lanterns and mooncakes are a major part of this festival. You have looked into the famous restaurants to buy the mooncakes and the cultural significance of this festival. Also, if you are planning to visit Singapore during the Mid-Autumn festival, check out these budget hotels in Singapore Chinatown.