Gardens by the Bay’s Mid Autumn Festival celebrations return till Sep 11

The Mid-Autumn festivity is making a big comeback at the Gardens by the Bay from now till Sep 11.

After being held at a smaller scale over the past two years, the 2022 edition will see the return of the outdoor marketplace and cultural performances, both at the Supertree Grove.

This year’s festival theme is ‘Reunion’. Gardens by the Bay director of programming Dinesh Naidu said: “With the stabilisation of the pandemic situation, it is also an opportune time for visitors to be able to fully enjoy the festivities with friends and family.”

A crowd favourite in the pre-COVID-19 editions of the festival, the outdoor marketplace will feature more than 10 stalls selling popular Asian fare.

Another highlight is the cultural performances every weekend, put together with the support of the National Arts Council.

These include award-winning Chinese percussion ensemble Drum Feng, Singapore Chinese Dance Theatre, and Tok Tok Chiang, a platform founded by actor Nick Shen to reposition Chinese opera and renew interest in this traditional art form. 

There will also be A Date Under the Stars Concert, which will feature homegrown talents belting out a medley of Xin Yao and Ming Yao Mandarin pop songs, and a K-Pop dance crew.

The Supertree Grove will feature many of the large lantern sets. These include The Colours of Daily Life, presented by the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Singapore and Seoul Tourism Organization, and Five Blessings, which was hand-painted by female inmates in collaboration with the Yellow Ribbon Project.

Also in the area is the Joyous Reunion lantern set featuring the 12 animals of the Chinese Zodiac engaging in Mid-Autumn activities and the Colourful Blossoms floral lantern arch made from over 20 lantern peonies.

The lantern displays can also be found in other parts of the Gardens. Just outside the Supertree Grove is the Colonnade of Lights, showcasing 1,000 hand-painted lanterns, and at the main entrance of the Gardens is an 11m-tall Flight of the Pheonix lantern display set against a supertree.

Complementing the lanterns at Supertree Grove, the popular Garden Rhapsody free light and sound show will feature a Mid-Autumn themed musical soundtrack, Tales of the Moon. 

The Kids Go Free to Flower Dome promotion runs during the duration of the festival. Children aged 12 and below who are local residents can enter the Flower Dome free of charge from 6pm to 9pm.

There will also be lantern giveaways at the Supertree Grove on the actual day of this year’s Mid-Autumn (Sep 10), while stocks last.