Celebrate Mid-Autumn At Esplanade's Moonfest 2022 - Workshops, Performances & More

The 18th edition of Moonfest will be happening from 9 – 11 Sep 2022 with on-site live performances and ticketed workshops.

Venue: Esplanade
Dates: 9 - 11 Sep 2022
Admission: Free with ticketed events

Celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival at Esplanade - Theatre on the Bay with Moonfest - A Mid-Autumn Celebrations. The annual traditional Chinese arts festival returns with on-site live performances and ticketed workshops, with a peek behind-the-scenes online. It presents the opportunity for families and friends, young and old to be exposed to and rediscover the intrinsic beauty of traditional Chinese arts.

Let's dive into what families can expect at Moonfest 2022 (many are free too). 

Join The Popular Lantern Walkabout (FREE)

Venue: Esplanade Waterfront
Date: 10 Sep 2022, 7.15 pm (meet at 7 pm)
Fee: Free

The popular Lantern Walkabout returns LIVE this year! Come celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival with your family and friends as you take a leisurely moonlit stroll along the Esplanade Waterfront with your favourite lantern and enjoy the beautiful scenery along the way.

Performance + Craft: Where Is The Moon? (FREE)

Venue: Esplanade PIP’s PLAYbox
Date: 10 & 11 Sep 2022, 11.45 am, 2.30 pm & 4.45 pm
Fee: Free

Happening at Esplanade PIP's PLAYbox, Where is the Moon? is a 30-min, non-verbal movement piece that explores the concept of time through each phase of the moon. Children can take part in a craft activity after the performance too! 

Conducted in English and Mandarin, this activity is recommended for children aged 3 and above with an accompanying adult (above 16 years old).

Admission is free and for PIP’s club members. Pre-registration is required for admission into PIP's PLAYbox. Registration can be done at the entrance of PIP's PLAYbox. 

Have Fun With Grandpa & Grandma - Moments in Action

Venue: Esplanade Annexe Studio
Date: 11 Sep 2022, 1.30 pm & 4.30 pm 
Fee: $40 per adult/child pair (JOYears & PIPS Club: 10% savings with min. 2 tickets)

This 2-hour workshop allows the 2 generations a unique opportunity to learn and bond through play. Participants will be guided through theatre improvisation exercises, creating tableaux of their own mid-autumn or reunion stories. At the end of the workshop, grandparents and their grandchild will also get to craft and bring home a personalised upcycled rolling paper theatre. 

The workshop is conducted in Mandarin and is recommended for children aged 6–9 with an accompanying grandparent/guardian (above 16 years old). There is no admission for children aged 4 and under. 

Learn About Chinese Drums - Drum Up!

Venue: Esplanade Annexe Studio
Date: 10 Sep 2022, 1.30 pm & 4.30 pm
Fee: $20 (Black & White: 10% savings | Discover: 5% savings)

Conducted by DRUM FENG, a Singapore-based award-winning percussion ensemble specialising in Chinese percussion instruments, this 1.5-hour workshop will get you started on your Chinese drum journey. 

You will get to learn about the history of Chinese drums and the importance of beat, rhythm and music notation. Participants will also get to try your hand at hitting techniques on a variety of Chinese drums, apply them and get to play as an ensemble. 

Drum Up! is conducted in English and admission is for 13 years old and up. 

Take Part In A Parent-Child Workshop: Make A String Puppet!

Venue: Esplanade Rehearsal Studio
Date: 10 Sep 2022, 1.30 pm & 4.30 pm (meet 15mins before start time)
Fee: $40 per parent/child pair (PIPS Club: 10% savings with min. 2 tickets)

Join this parent-child workshop by collide.o.scope to create your very own scarf and string puppet, and learn to bring your puppet to life - bring your puppet home to continue creating more fun at home too!

This 2-hour workshop is conducted in Mandarin and is recommended for children aged 6–9 with an accompanying parent/guardian (above 16 years old). There is no admission for children aged 4 and under. 

Make A Paper Lantern With Your Child

Venue: Esplanade Bay Room
Date: 10 Sep 2022, 1.30 pm & 4.30 pm (meet 15mins before start time)
Fee: $40 per parent/child pair (PIPS Club: 10% savings with min. 2 tickets)

Follow artist Eunice Hannah Lim as she brings you on a journey to create your very own textural paper lantern through your unique interpretation inspired by the famous Tang Dynasty piece, Melody of White Feathers Garment.

This 1.5-hour parent-child workshop marries craft and music as an experience when you create your paper lantern. It is conducted in English and recommended for children aged 6–9 with an accompanying parent/guardian (above 16 years old). There is no admission for children aged 4 and under. 

Learn More With Let's Write Seal Script!

Venue: Esplanade Rehearsal Studio
Date: 11 Sep 2022, 1.30 pm & 4.30 pm (meet 15mins before start time)
Fee: $20 (Black & White: 10% savings | Discover: 5% savings)

Join Malik Mazlan, a Singaporean Malay calligrapher, as he shares his personal history with seal script and the exploration of this ancient writing style in his works. 

In this 1.5-hour workshop, participants will learn the art of Chinese calligraphy with particular attention given to seal script and the writing of its characters. You will also be guided to write characters on specially prepared ink rubbings of batik motifs, to accompany your calligraphy.

The workshop will be conducted in English and is recommended for 13 years old and above. 

Solve Lantern Riddles (FREE)

Venue: Esplanade Waterfront Canopy
Date: 9 - 11 Sep 2022, 7.30 pm
Fee: Free

Conducted in Mandarin, join the Riddle Association as they bring the fun tradition of lantern riddles to you! Happening from 7.30 pm to 9.30 pm, you will get to challenge yourself (and fellow riddle enthusiast) on topics ranging from poems, trivia and folklore to historical events and even social issues. 

Catch A Traditional Puppet Performance (FREE)

Venue: Esplanade Forecourt Garden
Date: 9 Sep 2022, 6.45 pm, 7.45 pm & 8.45 pm
Fee: Free

Enjoy a traditional puppet performance by the San Chun Long Puppet Troupe, as they perform classic excerpts with their valuable rod puppets, passed down from generation to generation.

This 30-min performance is performed in Hainanese, with English and Chinese surtitles. Note that no tickets will be issued and seats are available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Be Prepared To Laugh Out Loud: A Crosstalk Showcase (FREE)

Venue: Esplanade Concourse
Date: 10 Sep 2022, 2 pm, 3 pm & 4 pm
Fee: Free

Performed by the Young People’s Performing Arts Ensemble (YPPAE), a Mandarin theatre performing arts company for the young, by the young - get entertained and fill your belly with laughter as the adept performers present a selection of witty repartee and rhythmic recitations in this 30-min performance!

Note that no tickets will be issued, and seats are available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Enjoy A Teochew Puppet Performance (FREE)

Venue: Esplanade Forecourt Garden
Date: 11 Sep 2022, 6.45 pm, 7.45 pm & 8.45 pm
Fee: Free

Come watch Sin Ee Lye Heng, a family-run Teochew puppet troupe to better understand their craft and be inspired by their passion to preserve this intangible cultural heritage.

This 30-min performance is performed in Teochew, with English and Chinese surtitles. Note that no tickets will be issued and seats are available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Enjoy An Evening With The WonderFULL Getai Night (FREE)

Venue: Esplanade Outdoor Theatre & Online
Date: 11 Sep 2022, 7.30 pm
Fee: Free

Enjoy a splendid moonlit night of getai with a traditional twist! WonderFULL Getai Night is a 2.5-hour performance hosted by Hao Hao, Lin Ru Ping and Xu Qiong Fang, and featuring popular getai artists Coco Xian, Xie Sheng Zhi, Mai Hui, Lin Liying and Angel Law belting familiar evergreen hits and folk songs. Be treated to a Hokkien opera special with guest performers Danson Ong and Chua Xin En. 

Performed in Mandarin and various dialects, the performance will also be livestreamed and available online until 25 Sep, 11.59 pm. No tickets will be issued, and seats are available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Click here to find out more about Moonfest and for a full list of programmes.