Event
Mid-Autumn Festival 2026: Chinatown Lantern Displays & Celebrations
Date
18 September 2026
Venue
Kreta Ayer Square & Chinatown streets
Entry
Free
Chinatown’s six-week Mid-Autumn Festival runs 18 September to 20 October 2026. Free street light-up 7pm–midnight along New Bridge Road, Eu Tong Sen Street, South Bridge Road and Upper Cross Street, plus a mooncake fair at People’s Park Square and the Mass Lantern Walk.
About the Festival
The Mid-Autumn Festival (Zhong Qiu Jie) falls on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month — Friday 25 September 2026. Chinatown hosts one of Southeast Asia’s most photographed celebrations: six weeks of hanging lanterns, a centrepiece installation, a mooncake fair, and free cultural stages.
2026 dates
- Street light-up: 18 September – 20 October 2026, 7pm – midnight nightly
- Opening ceremony: 18 September, 7pm, Kreta Ayer Square
- Festive fair: People’s Park Square, typically 10am – 10pm daily
- Mass Lantern Walk: Saturday closest to 25 September, Chinatown Point to Kreta Ayer Square
- Entry: Free
What to do
- Walk the lantern corridor from Chinatown MRT Exit A along New Bridge Road and Eu Tong Sen Street
- Browse mooncakes, pomelos, tea, and handmade lanterns at the festive fair
- Watch Chinese dance, martial arts, and music at Kreta Ayer Square
- Eat after the walk at Maxwell Food Centre or Chinatown Complex
- Watch this site for the Mid-Autumn stamp rally station list
Weekday evenings are quieter for photographs. Full visitor notes: lantern guide.
Mid-Autumn FestivalLanternsMooncakesFreeFamilyLight-up