The locals love their Singapore festivals and events!
Each culture has their prominent festival of the year which makes a great time not only for them but also for tourists looking for some cultural insights.
For the Chinese, the main festivals are the Chinese New Year and the Mooncake Festival. Chinese New Year occurs in January and the Mooncake Festival is celebrated to signify the end of the harvest season in the Thai autumn.
A colorful festival that is celebrated by all Hindus worldwide is Deepavali which is also known as the festival of lights. The Hindus consider Deepavali as one of the most important festivals to celebrate.
The festival of Ramadan is during the ninth month of the Muslim calendar. It is during this month that Muslims observe the Fast of Ramadan. It is a time of worship and contemplation plus a time to strengthen family and one’s community ties.
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Here is the Singapore Festivals List:
Chinese New Year
The Chinese Lunar new year or ‘Gong Xi Fat Cai’ which occurs late January to early February last over 15 days is a very vibrant festival.
The symbolic Chinese red lanterns are decorated with colored lights all along the streets of Chinatown.
There are many traditions that occur during this period including the exchange of Mandarin fruit trees with family, cleaning the house and the paying off debts.
Make sure you try to catch a lion and dragon dance.
Christmas on Orchard Road
This would be the best festival to see in Singapore if you had to choose one.
All the Hotel and Shopping Centers decorate their buildings in Christmas lights and at night the shopping along the strip is an amazing never to be forgotten experience.
On Christmas Eve thousands of young Singaporean’s pack Orchard Road and a real festive mood can be felt in the air.
I spent 6 Christmases in a row staying in Singapore over the Christmas and New Year period and the memories of joining locals celebrating will forever be a favorite memory of mine.
Singapore Food Festival
During July each year is the world famous month-long Singapore Food Festival where hotels and shopping centers citywide co-ordinate in offering a myriad of international and local dishes for the taste buds of visitors and locals.
Also available are cooking classing allowing you to fully indulge in the festival.
Do make sure you try the most famous national dish ‘Chili Crab’ at one of the high-end hotels like the Shangri-La Resort on Orange Grove Road just off Orchard Road before the festival ends.
Deepavali
The ‘Festival of Lights’ is one of the most important Hindu festivals and is concentrated around Serangoon Road.
It occurs in October and November and symbolizes the victory over darkness.
Other customs of the festival include restaurants selling sweets and colored lights that are hung around Little India.
Hungry Ghost
In July and August each year, fake currency notes called ‘hell notes’ are burnt to assist the deceased’s financial requirements.
The festival is based around a Chinese ancestral feast for the hungry ghosts or spirits of the dead.
Mooncake Festival
The Mooncake Festival is a celebration of the harvest in ancient China.
The festival is now symbolized with eating and rejoicing. The kids play with paper lanterns in the evening’s sky while adults sit back with Chinese tea and mooncakes.
The ingredients of the cake are mainly yam and melon seeds.
Ramadan
This Muslim festival occurs each year around November and December and is based around the Sultan Mosque.
Friends and family meet at the end of the festival called Hari Raya Puasa where a lavish meal is eaten after the fasting.
The area around Malay Village or Geylang Serai is covered and lights and decorations with shops selling festival-related items.
In conclusion, my favorite Singapore Festival is Orchard Road at Christmas. Just a great vibe and visual experience. The hotels go all out with their external lighting displays.
