Relive the experiences and tales of our forefathers in the upcoming Five Footway Festival in March!
Venue: Chinatown, Pagoda Street Singapore 059190
Dates: 11 - 19 Mar 2023
Admission: Fees apply for activities
Take a journey to yesteryear as you soak in the atmosphere and scenes of nostalgia through a myriad of activities. From performances to games and food, relive and be amazed by how life was like in early Singapore. Mark your calendars and prepare for a blast to the past in the Five Footway Festival in March!
From traditional Chinese opera, wu-shu (martial art performances), and lion dance performances to photo exhibitions, old school games, workshops, and heritage food stalls, there will be something for everyone to enjoy.
A selection of activities are listed below. Tickets to the activities can be purchased on Chinatown Peatix Page.
Feng Jie in Bukit Pasoh - Chinatown Theatrical Tour
Venue: Chinatown Visitor Centre, 2 Banda Street Singapore
Time: 11 Mar 2023, 10 am - 12 pm
Fees: $18
Learn more about Chinatown's history through this original theatrical walking tour! The tour guide transforms into a fictional character called "Feng Jie 凤姐", a majie in the olden days, where she somehow travelled across time and landed in the wrong year! She will recount the days of the past and shares fascinating tales of Bukit Pasoh setting back in the early days of Singapore. Weaving in historical facts and the use of props, the stage is all set for you to delve into the theatrical piece to hear about her Endeavour, Perseverance and her Love.
Sights & Sounds of Chinatown Singapore
Venue: Chinatown Visitor Centre, 2 Banda Street Singapore
Time: 12 & 19 Mar 2023, 10 am onwards
Fees: $20
The Chinatown District is dotted with numerous wall murals, many of which are familiar sights that you would have seen in person or on social media posts. Other than injecting vibrancy to the area, these murals connect us to the heritage and culture of the place. Join this walk to learn about the stories and the artists behind them.
Old School Games: Chapteh Making
Venue: Chinatown Visitor Centre, 2 Banda Street Singapore
Time: 12 Mar 2023, 3pm, 4pm or 5pm
Fees: $5 (Recommended for 5 years old and above)
Chapteh 毽子, is a traditional game that requires great dexterity and balance in keeping a feathered shuttlecock in the air for as long as possible by kicking it up with the heel of the foot.
Learn how to make these colourful Chaptehs while keeping our heritage activity alive. These aren't only a thing of the past but keeping ever-active with traditional games is an experience you only get in person out of our digitally advanced world. Make your own and have fun with it!
Kite Making Workshop
Venue: Chinatown Visitor Centre, 2 Banda Street Singapore
Time: 18 Mar 2023, 1pm, 3pm or 5pm
Fees: $9.90
Kite 风筝, is one of the traditional games that requires some skills. Relive the good olde days by learning how our forefathers used to make olde school kites. Enliven your kites with beautiful colours and bring them to the park to fly your kite.
The Red Oil Lamp: Chinatown Stories Alive!
Venue: Chinatown Visitor Centre, 2 Banda Street Singapore
Time: 18 Mar 2023, 7.30 pm onwards
Fees: $50
A magical night Theatrical Tour that will take you on a fascinating journey of history, discovery and reflection. As the sun sets and the flame of the oil lamp gently flickers, the back alleys of Chinatown come alive. The memories of our yesteryears are brought to life through the forgotten stories of Singapore’s early immigrants in the mid 1900s.
An Odyssey to the South
Venue: Chinatown Visitor Centre, 2 Banda Street Singapore
Time: 19 Mar 2023, 2.30 pm onwards
Fees: $12
An Odyssey to the South is a specially tailored programme that will take audiences through the history of Nanyin. The programme will present the origins of Nanyin, its instruments along with demonstrations, and feature short excerpts of classical and fusion Nanyin repertoires.
Nanyin can be likened to a running stream, overflowing with simple elegance in distant seclusion. Like many traditional arts in search for new audiences, there is a call not only for the preservation of Nanyin but also its revitalization through new ideas.
