Chinese New Year 2026: What to do

The lanterns and lights are going up in Chinatown. Yes, it’s that time of year again! We’ve listed some Chinese New Year events in Singapore for you to welcome the Lunar New Year of the Horse. Plus handy tips for you to experience an authentic, fun and prosperous start to Chinese New Year 2026.

Places to get a holiday deal

Balinese escape for the Lunar New Year

With a public holiday for celebrations and Singapore getting busy, now is the perfect excuse to book a tropical getaway, right? If you do, one top spot for a relaxing escape during Lunar New Year is The Legan Seminyak, Bali.

If you book the One Bedroom Suite or a Private One Bedroom Pool Villa at The Legan Seminyak, Bali you’ll enjoy the services of a personal butler, complimentary laundry and a chauffeured limousine at The Club by The Legian Seminyak. Kids and family activities can be arranged by the concierge. These include daily fun exercises suitable for the whole family, family boxing, horse rides on the beach, tours to Balinese temples, family yoga sessions, learning to play the Balinese gamelan, cooking journeys in Ubud, and spa experiences for mum and daughter. Rooms for this Lunar New Year getaway to Bali are limited so make your booking now. For stays of three nights, you’ll enjoy the third night on the hotel.

+62 811 3821 9457 (WhatsApp) | budiman.tanto@lhm-hotels.com
lhm-hotels.com

Where to buy CNY décor, snacks & more!

With a new zodiac comes a whole new set of decorations, snacks and CNY merchandise to bring good luck! One of the best places to find absolutely everything you could need is Shopee. For decorations, there’s a pack of Year of the Snake-themed couplets and some lovely red cushion covers that you could reuse each year. Plus, check out this foldable Mahjong table that you can bring out for a few games and then tuck away. If the family is around and you need some new red packets, these cute butter bear ones kids are sure to love and you can use them next year too.

Another wonderful aspect of Chinese New Year is all the food! Gift sets on offer include Kinohimitsu’s abalone in braised sauce, or braised with scallop or brine. The Kinohimitsu Bird’s Nest gift set is another great gift idea. Or, for snacks, try the 24-piece set including salted egg fish skin, seaweed, crabsticks, prawn and pineapple. Alternatively, the Cornell 2-in-1 Steamboat and BBQ Grill with a detachable non-stick grill pan and hot pot would be perfect for a family dinner. There are loads more ideas -just head to Shopee and have a look!

Be style-ready for CNY!

Bastide Colombe presents a thoughtfully curated edit of women’s fashion and accessories, featuring signature wedges and sandals handcrafted in Spain. Located in the heart of Orchard, the boutique invites a leisurely exploration of unique designs where timeless elegance meets exceptional comfort. Crafted from luxurious leathers and natural materials, each piece reflects a refined Mediterranean sensibility – perfect for Singapore’s climate year-round, even after Chinese New Year. All footwear designs are also available online, with free delivery in Singapore.

#03-17A Wheelock Place, 501 Orchard Road
bastidecolombe.com | IG: @bastidecolombe

Things to do in Singapore this Lunar New Year 2026

Chinatown street light-up

Celebrations for Chinese New Year 2026 kick off in Chinatown with the Official Street Light-Up, scheduled for the evening of 30 January, 2026 at Kreta Ayer Square. Festivities that visitors can look forward to festive street markets for Chinese New Year snacks, and cultural performances and workshops. Street light installations will celebrate the Year of the Horse with paper-cutting inspired designs. Following the theme of Galloping into the Prosperous New Year, the decorative lights and lanterns will illuminate New Bridge Road, Eu Tong Sen Street and South Bridge Road until 18 March 2026, daily, from 7pm to midnight.

Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre (SCCC)

SCCC has a few Chinese New Year 2026 events planned. There will be lion dances, a horse-themed art installation, mission quests to redeem limited edition red packets while stocks last, children workshops to learn lion dance or playing the drums, arts and crafts activities, zodiac photo booth and zodiac forecast exhibition. Admission is free, with a fee for some specific events. Most of the activities will happen on the weekend of 31 January to 1 February, 2026 while the zodiac photo booth is available until 3 March and the horse-themed art installation is open to the public until 26 May, 2026. For the full schedule and details of this Chinese New Year event in Singapore, head to singaporeccc.org.sg.

River Hongbao

The largest annual Chinese New Year event in Singapore is River Hongbao at Gardens by the Bay. Besides giant lantern displays, there will be fireworks displays on 15 to 19 February at The Meadow, nightly live music and cultural performances, amusement rides and family-oriented carnival games, and a diverse array of snacks and Chinese New Year food at the Food Street. The event marks its 40th anniversary so there’s a special exhibition showcasing the its history and evolution, along with commemorative anniversary installations, as well as thematic nights such as Movie Night, Getai Night and Xinyao Night. River Hongbao 2026 runs from 15 February until 24 February. Visit riverhongbao.sg for more details.

Chingay Parade 2026

The annual Chingay Parade is one of the key Chinese New Year 2026 events in Singapore. This is the largest street performance and float parade in Asia, so it’s one you’ll definitely want to catch this Year of the Horse!

Chingay Parade in 2026 happens on 27 and 28 February at the F1 Pit Building, embodying the theme of “Wish”. The organisers say that the parade “celebrates collective aspirations and unity under the theme, turning Singapore’s imagination into the most dazzling display”.

This year will introduce Chingay’s first-ever ring-shaped arena around a circular multi-tier stage. This creates a 360-immersive experience where spectators become active participants of the Chingay celebration. Paired with the illuminated costumes and props of performers, the parade is set to light up the night.

More details of this Chinese New Year 2026 event in Singapore are available at chingay.gov.sg.

What to do at Gardens by the Bay

The Gardens is hosting Spring Blossoms, its annual Chinese New Year floral display, at its Flower Dome from until 1 March, 2026. This year’s theme is Gallop into Prosperity, is brought to life through eight life-sized horse lanterns crafted using 1,00o-year-old techniques and galloping among plum blossoms, bamboo, orchids and chrysanthemums. Standing up to 2.6 metres tall, the lantern horses are crafted by artisans from Zigong in Sichuan. The Chinese city is internationally renowned for its lantern-making heritage dating back to the Tang Dynasty. The scene is inspired by an iconic Chinese ink painting of eight horses in full gallop that show off their strength, strength, vitality and success.

The surrounding landscape is inspired by the aesthetics of Jiangnan Gardens complete with cascading water features and a limestone rock inspired by the Taihy rocks from Lake Tai in Jiangsu. Visitors can wander through moon gates, pause at pavilions and admire seasonal blooms. Entrance fees applies; visit gardensbythebay.com.sg for ticket details.

The Istana at Chinese New Year

The Istana is open every Lunar New Year. This is a great chance to explore the grounds. Plus, there is an hour-long Istana Heritage Tour that explores its rich history, architectural heritage and unique flora and fauna landscape. Each walking tour begins on the hour from the Main Gate and brings you to the Villa, Japanese Garden and Ceremonial Plaza. The dates for the Chinese New Year 2026 open house event have yet to be released. Visit istana.gov.sg for more details and to sign up.

The origins of the Lunar New Year festival

Marking the beginning of the new year on the Chinese lunar calendar, Chinese New Year (also known as Lunar New Year) is celebrated by communities all over the world. The events for Chinese New Year traditionally last for a total of 15 days. The evening before the first day is typically spent having a sumptuous dinner with family (this is called the reunion dinner).

There are many legends surrounding the origins of the festival. The story of Nian is among the popular ones. According to Chinese myth, a monster called Nian lived in the mountains surrounding a village. On the first day of every year, he would torment the villagers, feasting on grain, cattle … and children! They eventually discovered that the beast was afraid of loud noises and the colour red. So, to get rid of Nian, they spread red across the village, banged on drums and set off fireworks. And Nian never returned. These actions became part of the New Year tradition – hanging up red decorations and lanterns, and playing loud drums. In Mandarin, the word for New Year is guo nian, which literally translates to “overcoming Nian”.

Red packets

Red packets or “hongbao” are given during the Lunar New Year as a tokens of good wishes. This practice dates back to China’s Han dynasty (206 BC to AD 220) and was originally meant to ward off evil spirits. As people exchange the money-filled packets, they exchange good wishes.

Dos and don’ts during the Lunar New Year

Tips from Feng Shui Master Clarice Chan!

General:

• Make sure you say “Gong Xi Fa Cai” to wish friends and colleagues a prosperous New Year.
• Prepare food before New Year’s Day so that all sharp instruments such as knives and scissors can be put away. This avoids cutting the luck out of the New Year or severing any ties with family and friends.
• Refrain from using negative expressions or talking ill of others; it’s a time to promote joy and abundance.
• Don’t wash your hair on the first day of the Lunar New Year as hair has the same sound as the word fatt or fa, which means prosperity. Therefore, washing your hair will encourage any wealth and prosperity to be washed away. Avoid washing clothes on this day for the same reason.
• Colours are very important to the Chinese. Typically, only bright colours are considered auspicious, especially red and gold. White and black are generally associated with sad occasions such as funerals or illness, and are therefore considered unlucky or inauspicious.
• Gifts are not common except for Mandarin oranges, which are mandatory to offer to hosts when visiting during the first 15 days of the Lunar New Year.
• Unmarried adults and children receive “hong baos” or “ang pows” from married family members and friends. These red envelopes are filled with crisp new bills totalling an even amount of money. Odd numbers are not given during the celebrations.

Chinese New Year food and other preparations:

• Always use new red packets.
• Always fill your red packets with new banknotes.
• Have plenty of Mandarin oranges available.
• Use a circular candy tray.
• Keep some flowers, especially plum blossoms, peach blossoms and pussy willows. These symbolise happiness and good fortune.
• Wear new clothes and shoes.

Common Chinese New Year events in Singapore and activities:

• Clean your entire home and get rid of all clutter.
• Put away old brooms and brushes as they’re considered to bring bad luck; new brooms and brushes are very important.
• Pay off as many of your debts as possible, if you have any.
• Resolve differences with family members, friends, neighbours and business associates.

Liked this article on the Chinese New Year 2026 events in Singapore? Read more about Chinese New Year snacks and where to get Chinese New Year food for at home or dining out.