Mid-Autumn at Smith Street: Lion Dance, Crafts, and Lantern Painting

19 September timetable on Smith Street

• 9.30am: Lantern Painting Competition for ages 7 to 12. Register at chinatown.sg before 9 September 2026. Assigned time slots. Each painter gets a $10 F&B voucher.
• 2pm: Opening on the Smith Street main stage. Lion dance and wushu by Kong Chow Wui Koon.
• Afternoon: Traditional lantern-making talk.
• 3pm and 4.45pm: Ukulele sets and community singing.
• 3.30pm: Make a Guess. 30 F&B vouchers.
• 4pm and 5pm: Where Am I? heritage game. 30 F&B vouchers.

Crafts on the street

Singapore Poon Yue Association runs paper cutting, handmade crafts, calligraphy, and fan dyeing through the afternoon. These are drop-in cultural tables, not ticketed workshops. Organisers are Chinatown Business Association, Singapore Poon Yue Association, and Kong Chow Wui Koon.

Same night at Kreta Ayer Square

The grassroots Light a Lantern, Share Your Blessing programme starts at 6pm at Kreta Ayer Square, a few minutes on foot via Banda Street. That night has a community lantern procession, mooncake and tea, and riddles in four languages. Community lantern booths run 11 September to 4 October at Kreta Ayer Community Club, Kreta Ayer Square, and Banda Street. There are no large-format lanterns on Eu Tong Sen Street or New Bridge Road in 2026.

Entry is free. Smith Street is a short walk from Chinatown MRT Exit A. Maxwell MRT Exit 1 is closer if you are coming from Maxwell Food Centre. Festival day on the lunar calendar is Friday 25 September 2026. This Smith Street programme is Saturday 19 September only.

Register for lantern painting at chinatown.sg before 9 September 2026. Walk-up visitors can watch the 2pm stage and use the craft tables without a ticket.