Wan Qing Mid-Autumn Festival 2019
Date: 7 & 8 September 2019
Time: 10.30am – 9pm
Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall
Free admission
Organised by Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall, Wan Qing Mid-Autumn Festival is an annual cultural event for the community to discover and experience the customs and traditions observed during the celebrations.
This year’s festival presents an exciting weekend of offerings suitable for the young and the young at heart, including heritage trails around the Balestier precinct, guided tours of the museum’s galleries, mooncake tasting, lantern-making workshops, storytelling of Mid-Autumn tales, alfresco concert performances and more.
The Memorial Hall’s lantern installation also promises to make for great photo-moments under the stars.
Produced by local artist and sculptor Lee Yun Qin in collaboration with the Memorial Hall’s youth volunteers, “Moonflowers of Mid-Autumn” is a luminescent outdoor art installation that pays homage to this ancient Mid-Autumn folklore and symbolises the desire for union during this festive season.
Featuring over 200 stalks of sustainable glow-in-the-dark flower sculptures crafted from intricate wire mesh and solar-powered LED bulbs, this installation transforms the Memorial Hall’s lawn into an enchanting mid-autumn flower garden in celebration of this much-loved festival.
For more information, please visit
http://sysnmh.org.sg/en/whats-on/events/wan-qing-dumpling-festival-2019
Programmes
- Festival Highlight – Sky Lanterns Light Up the Night!
Date: 7 September (part of Evening Concert Segment; refer to Point 18)
Time: 7.30pm
Admission: Available on a first-come, first-served basis
Lanterns have been used across Asia for functional and decorative reasons: they chase away the darkness, they light the way home at night, and they add a touch of festivities during major festivals. They also perform a symbolic function and, during the Mid-Autumn Festival (or Mooncake Festival), they represent a desire for union and the aspiration for a better life.
Join visitors from all walks of life in this traditional festive activity as the Memorial Hall releases three larger-than-life sky lantern helium balloons for the very first time, in a symbolic gesture of hope and blessings!
Note: Due to regulations set by the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore, the lantern balloon will not be fully released into the sky. Instead, it will be tethered and only released to a certain height, and will continue to hover above SYSNMH for the rest of the evening programme. Each lantern will measure approximately 1.2m (height).
- Festival Highlight – “A Mid-Autumn Night’s Dream” Laser Show
Date: 7 & 8 September
Time: 7.15pm; 8.15pm (part of Evening Concert Segment; refer to Point 18)
Admission: Available on a first-come, first-served basis
Discover the magic of Mid-Autumn Festival at the Memorial Hall’s first ever laser light show!
As the 3-minute outdoor show unfolds before your eyes, immerse yourself in a stunning symphony of colour visual projections, laser beams, and mist effects set to a moving orchestral soundtrack telling the story of the origins of Mid-Autumn Festival.
Note: The “A Mid-Autumn Night’s Dream” Laser Show will be available twice nightly on 7 and 8 September, at 7.15pm and 8.15pm.
- Sky Lantern Making Workshop
Date: 7 September
Time: 11am – noon
Admission: Free.
Usually fashioned from a thin metal or bamboo frame covered with paper, silk or gauze, Sky Lanterns are a symbol of joy and hope, particularly during festive seasons such as Mid-Autumn Festival. Learn how to craft your own simple Sky Lantern in this interactive workshop, before writing your Mid-Autumn wishes on it and sending the lantern up int
the night sky.
- “Moonflowers of Mid-Autumn” Workshop
Date: 7 & 8 September
Time: 4pm – 5pm
Admission: Available on a first-come, first-served basis
Produced by local artist and sculptor Lee Yun Qin, “Moonflowers of Mid-Autumn” is a luminescent sustainable art installation featuring glow-in-the-dark flower sculptures crafted from intricate wire mesh and solar-powered LED bulbs. Learn how to create your own “Moonflower” sculpture in this hands-on session led by Lee, and pay homage to the ancient Mid-Autumn tradition of lighting lanterns under the full moon!
- Design Your Own Mooncake Box
Date: 7 September
Time: 12pm – 3pm
Admission: No registration required
The gifting of mooncakes to loved ones is a customary tradition of Mid-Autumn Festival, and the beautiful boxes in which these yummy treats are presented have become almost as important as the mooncakes themselves! Pick up some paint and crayons and design your very own paper mooncake box in this fun, kid-friendly craft activity.
- Jade Rabbit Bookmark Craft
Date: 7 September
Time: 2pm – 5pm
Admission: No registration required
Just as the Jade Rabbit was a loyal companion to the Moon Goddess, Chang ‘E, this creative festive bookmark will accompany book lovers on their literary adventures – all while making sure that readers never miss a page of their favourite book. Join this interactive craft activity and learn to fold and colour your very own Jade Rabbit Bookmark!
- Snowskin Mooncake Workshop
Date: 8 September
Time: 11am – 12pm
Admission: $5 per person.
Try your hand at making yummy snowskin mooncakes in this hands-on workshop! Have fun kneading, shaping and moulding your own snowskin mooncakes, and learn more about why the legends behind mooncakes and why we celebrate Mid-Autumn Festival with these sweet treats.
- Make Your Own Clay Mooncake
Date: 8 September
Time: 12pm – 3pm
Admission: No registration required
Have fun moulding your own miniature clay mooncake in this interactive craft station, which uses kid-safe playdough created from eco-friendly and biodegradable ingredients such as flour, water and salt!
- Paper Lantern Colouring Craft
Date: 8 September
Time: 2pm – 5pm
Admission: No registration required
Complete your Mid-Autumn experience and have fun designing your very own Paper Lantern! Express your creativity in this kid-friendly craft session and bring your lantern to life.
- Mooncake & Tea Tasting
(Supported by Kwong Cheong Thye and Camellia Tea Bar)
Date: 7 & 8 September
Time: 11am – 7pm
Admission: No registration required
Savour a taste of tradition and sample our range of yummy mooncakes and freshly- brewed aromatic Chinese tea. Enjoy these festive delicacies as you learn more about Mid- Autumn Festival!
- Balloon Sculpting
Date: 7 & 8 September
Time: 11am – 7pm
Admission: No registration required
Fancy yourself a colourful crown, sword, or flower? Spot our roving balloon artist and take home a festival souvenir!
- Caricature
Date: 7 & 8 September
Time: 11am – 7pm
Admission: No registration required
Bored of taking selfies? If you’re looking for a fun and interesting way of capturing your self-portrait, head down to our live caricature station where our sketch artist will draw your portrait in minutes. Don’t forget to bring along your friends and family for a quirky group portrait!
- Snack Stations
Date: 7 & 8 September
Time: 11am – 7pm
Admission: No registration required
What’s a festival without some yummy treats? Visit our snack stations for a scrumptious selection of local snacks including curry puffs, goreng pisang, traditional ice cream and even mee siam! All snacks are available for sale.
- Carnival Games
Date: 7 & 8 September
Time: 11am – 7pm
Admission: No registration required
Have fun at our carnival game booths and collect stamps for your activity passport! Visit the other activity stations listed in the passport, and win a mystery prize.
- Mid-Autumn Tales
(Supported by the Speak Good English Movement and Speak Mandarin Campaign)
Date: 7 & 8 September
Time: 12.30pm – 1.30pm (Chinese); 3pm – 4pm (English)
Admission: No registration required
Do you know why we eat mooncakes during Mid-Autumn Festival, or how the legend of Chang’E came to be? Explore the origins of Mid-Autumn Festival at this special interactive storytelling session and learn more about the connection between the Moon Goddess, Jade Rabbit, and our much-loved mooncakes!
- Balestier Heritage Trail
Date: 7 & 8 September
Time: 10.30am – 12pm
Admission: $5 per person.
Embark on our best-selling Balestier Heritage Trail to uncover the rich history and origins of Balestier from as early as 1835. From landmarks like the Maha Sasanaramsi Burmese Buddhist Temple to heritage stops such as Lam Yeo Coffee Powder Factory, delve into the architectural and cultural developments of Balestier and discover the unknown stories behind these places.
- Permanent Gallery Guided Tour
Date: 7 & 8 September
Time: 2.30pm (Chinese); 3pm (English)
Join us for a guided tour of Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall and hear the stories behind this century-old villa that trace Dr. Sun Yat Sen’s revolutionary activities in Southeast Asia. Gain valuable insights on the impact of the 1911 Revolution on Singapore, as well as Singapore’s contributions to the Revolution.
- Evening Concert
Date: 7 & 8 September
Time: 6.30pm – 8.30pm
Experience wonder and delight in this dynamic showcase of cultural and contemporary arts! The line-up includes festival highlights such as the release of giant sky lantern helium balloons as well as a stunning laser light show on the origins of Mid-Autumn Festival.
Other performances include an interactive drama performance on the legends of Mid- Autumn Festival, Chinese belly-dancing, live music performances and more.
Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall
Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall (SYSNMH), a heritage institution under the National Heritage Board, traces Dr Sun’s revolutionary activities in the Southeast Asian region and highlights the impact of the 1911 Chinese Revolution on Singapore as well as Singapore’s contributions to the Revolution.
The SYSNMH was re-opened to the public on 9 October 2011. The revamped Memorial Hall features a new storyline that introduces key community leaders in the early 20th century; highlights Nanyang as a base for Revolution; and explores the impact and influences of the 1911 Chinese Revolution on the Singapore Chinese community.
It will also continue to promote the understanding of our history through research and publication; work with the community in outreach and education programmes as well as organise Chinese cultural events for all Singaporeans and visitors.
Please visit www.sysnmh.org.sg for more information.
National Heritage Board
The National Heritage Board (NHB) was formed on 1 August 1993. As the custodian of Singapore’s heritage, NHB is responsible for telling the Singapore story, sharing the Singaporean experience and imparting our Singapore spirit.
NHB’s mission is to preserve and celebrate the shared heritage of our diverse communities, for the purpose of education, nation-building and cultural understanding. It manages the national museums and heritage institutions, and sets policies relating to heritage sites, monuments and the national collection.
Through the national collection, NHB curates heritage programmes and presents exhibitions to connect the past, present and future generations of Singaporeans. NHB is a statutory board under the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth.
Please visit www.nhb.gov.sg for more information.
