The Dragon Boat Festival in Singapore is known for its vibrant atmosphere, with thrilling boat races, traditional performances and delicious rice dumplings. Chinatown is one of the epicentres of the celebrations, where festivities this year (7-9 June) are jointly organised by the Chinatown Business Association (CBA) and its programme partners. We asked MS LIM YICK SUAN of the CBA about what to expect in Chinatown for the unique cultural experience of the festival.
How does Singapore celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival?
Aside from the variety of fragrant and tantalising rice dumplings, the thumping drumbeats of the dragon boat race are also synonymous with celebrating the Dragon Boat Festival.
Dragon boat races are held annually on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month. This is in remembrance of Qu Yuan, a patriotic statesman from ancient China. While the age-old tradition of dragon boat races has its roots in a legend of patriotism and politics in ancient China, it has evolved into a popular international sport of vigorous action and tremendous camaraderie. The first regatta-style dragon boat race in Singapore was organised in 1978 as part of the Festival. It has since evolved into an annual affair for Singapore, attracting overseas competitors from Southeast Asia and beyond.
Why did Chinatown Singapore decide to organise the celebration of the Dragon Boat Festival this year?
The Dragon Boat Festival is part of UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage List. It has been celebrated by Chinese all over the world for over two millennia. We decided to organise the celebration of the festival this year to do our part to preserve our heritage. We also wanted to share the event’s rich stories and traditions with visitors to Chinatown.
What are some of the Dragon Boat Festival event highlights?
Chinatown Singapore’s Dragon Boat Festival event highlights include:
- “Dragon Boat Festival: Of Thumping Drumbeats and Delicious Dumplings”. This festival exhibition is organised in collaboration with the Sun Yat-Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall. Visitors can uncover the rich history and cultural origins of this event, including the significance of rice dumplings and how they’re made across the different Chinese dialect groups. Also, how boat races came to be a part of the celebrations.
- Visitors can support beneficiaries of the Association for Persons with Special Needs (APSN) by buying a Wish Dumpling sachet for $5 and hanging their wishes on the Wishing Wall. All proceeds will be donated to APSN.
- You can also attend workshops during the Dragon Boat Festival. These include a “Hands-on Hainanese Bak Chang Making” and “A Sip of Heritage with Rice Wines”.
- Enjoy Chinese cultural performances including Lion Dances, Dragon Dances, Guzheng and also Cantonese Opera performances.
- Participate in fun activities and childhood games. These include pitch-pot, five stones, hopscotch, lantern riddles, storytelling, a dragon boat craft workshop, and more.
Chinatown Singapore is inviting beneficiaries of the Association for Persons with Special Needs (APSN) to visit the festival and learn more about its origins. How can members of the public show their support?
You can do your part to support APSN beneficiaries by buying a Wish Dumpling sachet for $5. There’s also a Wishing Wall where you can hang your wishes. All proceeds will be donated to APSN, and donors stand to win a two-day, one-night staycation package by Amara Singapore or Dorsett Singapore.
How is the Chinatown business community coming together to support the festival?
Over 20 F&B vendors in Chinatown have come together to provide $30 food vouchers. These will be given out in the “Dragon Boat (Rowing Machine) Contest” and the “Guess the Number of Bak Chang in a Gunny Sack Contest”. This demonstrates a strong show of support from our business community for our inaugural Dragon Boat Festival celebration in Chinatown.
The Chinatown Singapore Dragon Boat Festival runs from 7 to 9 June (12pm-6pm daily). Read more on activities and workshops, and also how to book tickets, at chinatown.sg/event/dragon-boat-festival-2024.
