Event
Mid-Autumn Festival 2026: Community Lanterns at Kreta Ayer
Date
11 September 2026 – 4 October 2026
Venue
Kreta Ayer Square and Banda Street
Entry
Free
Chinatown Mid-Autumn 2026 runs 11 September to 4 October without large-format lanterns on Eu Tong Sen Street or New Bridge Road. Community lanterns at Kreta Ayer Square and Banda Street, with a procession at 6pm on 19 September.
About the 2026 festival
The Mid-Autumn Festival falls on Friday 25 September 2026. After 24 years of large street lanterns, the Chinatown Festival Committee is not decorating Eu Tong Sen Street and New Bridge Road this year. Celebrations shift to community lanterns organised by Kreta Ayer-Kim Seng grassroots groups.
2026 dates
- Lantern booths and displays: 11 September to 4 October 2026 at Kreta Ayer Community Club, Kreta Ayer Square and Banda Street
- Light a Lantern, Share Your Blessing: 19 September, 6pm, with procession, mooncake and tea, and lantern riddles in four languages
- Lantern Design Competition: 19 September at Kreta Ayer Community Club
- Neighbourhood editions: River Place, Havelock View, Chin Swee-Hong Lim
- Entry: Free
What to do
- Write a well-wish on a lantern at Kreta Ayer Community Club
- See the growing display at Kreta Ayer Square and Banda Street
- Join the 19 September procession if you want the one big night
Chinese New Year will still use street lanterns. For giant Mid-Autumn installations in 2026, use Gardens by the Bay or Jurong Lake Gardens instead.
On 19 September, Chinatown Business Association also runs a daytime programme on Smith Street from 9.30am, with Kong Chow Wui Koon on stage at 2pm. See the Smith Street event page for the hour-by-hour list.