Look forward to activities, such as rice dumpling and mocktail making workshops, live performances, walking tours, storytelling sessions, and more!
Venue: Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall (SYSNMH)
Date: 8 & 9 Jun 2024
Time: 10am to 6pm (Last admission at 5.30pm)
Fee: Free Admission with some ticketed activities
Wan Qing Dragon Boat Festival Open House 2024
Come together for a host of fun and exciting activities to celebrate Chinese arts, culture, and heritage at the Wan Qing Dragon Boat Festival Open House 2024!
Discover the story and traditions behind Dragon Boat Festival, one of the oldest cultural festivals in the world. Revel in the rich historical and cultural significance of the festival through a line-up of activities including rice dumpling and mocktail making workshops, live performances, walking tours, storytelling sessions, and more during the weekend open house.
Here's taking a closer look at what you can look forward to:
Workshops
Chinese Mugwort Scented Candle Making Workshop (Supported by Sing Kong Whee Candles)
Date: 8 Jun 2024
Time: 10am to 11.30am
Fee: $25 per pax | Purchase tickets here
Discover the cultural significance of Chinese mugwort, which was traditionally hung during the Duanwu Festival for its natural repellent properties, and learn how to make a Chinese mugwort-scented candle in this hands-on workshop! The workshop is facilitated by Simple Kindle, the lifestyle brand of Sing Kong Whee Candles, a heritage brand since the 1950s. Join us to gain a unique cultural insight as well as a natural, earthy, and herbal aromatic addition to your home. In this 90-minute workshop, participants will learn the finer art of candle-making and craft a 240ml candle from scratch.
Recommended for participants at least aged 6 years and above. The workshop is
conducted in English.
Parent-Child Tri-colour Quinoa Rice Dumpling Making Workshop (Supported by Bak Chang Queen)
Date: 8 Jun 2024
Time: 1pm to 2.30pm
Fee: $38 per pair | Purchase tickets here
Valued in ancient times for its taste and perceived health benefits, rice dumplings were served as a nutritious and balanced meal for good health and vitality during the summer season. In this parent-child workshop, you and your child will work together to make a healthier rice dumpling filled with quinoa, savoury meat, mushrooms, and other flavourful ingredients. May Lin from Bak Chang Queen will guide participants through each step of the process, providing helpful tips and insights on making rice dumplings. Participants will bring home the dumpling that they have made and a cooked dumpling to enjoy at home.
Recommended for children aged 8 years and above. The workshop is conducted in Mandarin.
Build & Power Your Own DIY Dragon Boat Workshop (Supported by Terra Minds Education)
Date: 8 Jun 2024
Time: 3pm to 4pm, 4.30pm to 5.30pm
Fee: $20 per pax | Purchase tickets here
Learn and explore the different ways a boat can be powered in this STEAM workshop! Children will get to build and decorate their own DIY dragon boat and experiment with testing the elastic power of various materials. Using the significance of dragon boating during Duanwu Festival, Terra Minds brings science and heritage together in this fun, water-filled activity.
Recommended for participants aged 6 to 9 years old only. The workshop is conducted in English.
Hakka Aicao Kueh Making Demonstration Class (Supported by Cui Nyonya Kueh)
Date: 9 Jun 2024
Time: 1pm to 2.30pm
Fee: $10 per pax | Purchase tickets here
Join Cui Nyona Kueh in this workshop to learn the art of making Hakka Aicao Kueh. Aicao, also known as Chinese mugwort, brings a wealth of health benefits when consumed and is even said to help rheumatism. With helpful tips and insights, participants will learn how to make the aicao kueh from scratch in this cooking demonstration class. Participants will also get to sample two different types of aicao kueh with different fillings, freshly made from the class.
Recommended for participants aged 13 years and above. The activity is conducted in English and Mandarin.
Tea-infused Mocktail Making Workshop (Supported by W XYZ Bar)
Date: 9 Jun 2024
Time: 4pm to 5.30pm
Fee: $38 per pair | Purchase tickets here
Come beat the heat with healthy, refreshing tea-infused mocktails in this workshop. With the fifth lunar month typically being the hottest month of the year, join our Tea-infused Mocktail Making Workshop and learn to create your very own mocktails. Learn from the mixologist of W XYZ Bar to create refreshing Zesty Zeros, a mocktail created specially for this workshop, and build your own mocktail with a selection of herbs and fruits. Each pair of participants will also bring home a cocktail shaker to continue making their own mocktails.
Recommended for participants aged 5 years and above. Workshop will be conducted in English.
Free Activities
Public Talk – Dragon Boat Festival: Beyond the Rice Dumplings
Date: 9 Jun 2024
Time: 10.30am to 11.30am
Fee: Free, limited seats available
First introduced with the migration of Chinese to Singapore, the traditions of Dragon Boat Festival have simplified over time. Practices such as wearing perfume sachets and hanging calamus leaves and mugwort leaves to ward off evil may have faded, but eating rice dumplings and dragon boat racing have endured through time. This public talk dives into the festival’s origins, the evolution of its customs, related children’s songs, delicacies, and dragon boat racing in Singapore.
The talk is conducted in Mandarin.
Storytelling Sessions: Tales of Dragon Boat Festival (Supported by Speak Good English Movement and Speak Mandarin Campaign)
Date: 8 Jun 2024 (Mandarin), 9 Jun 2024 (English)
Time: 11.30am to 12.30pm, 2pm to 3pm
Fee: Free
Be swept away with enthralling tales in our popular storytelling sessions! Discover the legends and myths behind well-loved Chinese stories as local authors and veteran storytellers bring you on a literary adventure.
Drop-in Craft Station: DIY Duanwu Scented Sachets
Date: 8 & 9 Jun 2024
Time: 10.30am to 5.30pm
Fee: Free
In ancient times, it was common for people to carry with them sachets filled with Chinese mugwort during Dragon Boat Festival to protect against venomous animals due to the herb’s natural repellent properties. Come make your own scented sachets at our drop-in craft station to experience this traditional practice.
Drop-in Craft Station: DIY Duanwu Five-colour Bracelet
Date: 8 & 9 June 2024
Time: 10.30am to 5.30pm
Fee: Free
The five different coloured threads in a five-colour bracelet are said to represent the elements of wood, fire, earth, metal and water. According to Chinese folklore, it is believed that wearing a five-colour bracelet can help children to ward off evil spirits and diseases during the Duanwu period. Parents craft these bracelets for their children in hopes of protection for their children against the evil spirits and misfortunes during the Dragon Boat Festival. Come make your own five-colour bracelet at our drop-in craft station today!
Drop-in Activity Station: Rice Dumpling Wrapping Station
Date: 8 & 9 Jun 2024
Time: 10.30am to 5.30pm
Fee: Free
From folding of leaves, filling the rice and wrapping the rice dumpling on a string, this is the perfect opportunity to learn how to wrap a rice dumpling at our Rice Dumpling Wrapping Station.
Drop-in Activity Station: Duanwu Mini Games
Date: 8 & 9 Jun 2024
Time: 10.30am to 5.30pm
Fee: Free
Explore the rich traditions of the Dragon Boat Festival at our mini game booths! Engage in interactive games that educate and entertain, offering insights into the festival's history and customs.
Drop-in Activity Station: Robot Dash the Dragon Boat (Supported by Terra Minds Education)
Date: 8 & 9 Jun 2024
Time: 10.30am to 5.30pm (at 15-minute intervals)
Fee: Free with limited slots available | Pre-registration onsite required
Children, help save Qu Yuan from being eaten by the fishes! Inspired by the legend of Qu Yuan, this drop-in activity uses modern robotics to engage children to develop their navigation skills and exercise sequential thinking through programming. Children will control Robot Dash the Dragon Boat to send rice dumplings into the river to save Qu Yuan from being eaten by fishes.
Recommended for participants aged 4 – 12 years old only.
Live on the Lawn: Dragon Boat Festival Family Fun Contest
Date: 8 & 9 Jun 2024
Time: 2.30pm to 3.30pm
Fee: Free
Gather your family for a Dragon Boat Festival Family Fun Contest on stage! Engage in friendly rivalry as you join other families in a series of exciting Dragon Boat Festival themed games. It’s a session of bonding and fun! Limited spots available, register your interest on the day to reserve your spot.
Live on the Lawn: Chinese Orchestra Music by Bukit Batok Chinese Orchestra (Supported by Bukit Batok Chinese Orchestra)
Date: 8 Jun 2024
Time: 5pm to 5.30pm
Fee: Free
Join us for a mesmerising Chinese orchestra performance presented by the Bukit Batok Chinese Orchestra as they capture the essence of traditional Chinese narratives and the beauty of natural landscapes through their performance. Be delighted with the diverse repertoire, from powerful rousing melodies to enchanting pieces that convey the peacefulness of the countryside.
Live on the Lawn: 24 Festive Drums Performance by RE:SOUND (Supported by RE:SOUND)
Date: 9 Jun 2024
Time: 5pm to 5.15pm
Fee: Free
Join us for a captivating Chinese drums performance by RE:SOUND, a drum team comprising alumni members of the Nanyang Technological University Chinese Drums Club. Experience the traditional art of Chinese percussion in a mesmerising display of skill and rhythm against the backdrop of the Memorial Hall.
Live on the Lawn: Lion & Dragon Dance Performance by NTU Dragon & Lion Dance Troupe (Supported by NTU Dragon & Lion Dance Troupe)
Date: 9 Jun 2024
Time: 5.15pm to 5.40pm
Fee: Free
Be enchanted by the ever-popular lion and dragon dance at Wan Qing Dragon Boat Festival 2024. Don’t blink an eye as the performers showcase their agility and coordination in this crowd-puller act by NTU Dragon & Lion Dance Troupe.
Live on the Lawn: Mini Dragon Boat Racing
Date: 8 & 9 Jun 2024
Time: 5.30pm to 6pm
Fee: Free
Get your little ones in on the action and join in the fun with our mini dragon boat racing event at the Wan Qing Dragon Boat Festival 2024! Join us to race across the Memorial Hall’s lawn on mini dragon boat toy rides and end the festival on a high note!
Recommended for children at least 100cm in height.
Festive Food & Herbal Tea Tasting
Date: 8 & 9 Jun 2024
Time: 10.30am to 5.30pm
Fee: Free, limited quantities available
Savour the taste of tradition and sample yummy festive delicacies such as rice dumplings and freshly brewed herbal tea. Enjoy these festive delicacies as you learn more about the Dragon Boat Festival!
Festive Snacks Pop-up Booth by Yue @ Aloft
Date: 8 & 9 Jun 2024
Time: 10.30am to 5.30pm
Fee: Free, limited quantities available
Experience the flavours of Yue @ Aloft at the Festive Snacks Pop-up Booth! Sample yummy snacks such as Mushroom with Yue’s Signature Creamy Milk and Salted Egg Lime Sauce or indulge in other light bites such as the Popcorn Chicken and Glutinous Rice Ball with Truffle Chicken. Spice things up with Chilled Sze Chuan Mala Lotus Root and lastly, savour the sweetness of Mango Sago or enjoy some refreshing drinks like the Cinnamon Apple Tea and Sunrise Sparkling Jasmine Tea right here at Wan Qing Dragon Boat Festival 2024.
Let’s Celebrate with Uncle Ting: Dragon Boat Festival
Date: 8 & 9 Jun 2024
Time: 10am to 6pm
Kids, pick up a free activity kit to discover more about the Dragon Boat Festival! Join Uncle Ting to learn more about the legends and popular customs associated with Dragon Boat Festival through a series of fun activities such as origami rice dumpling folding! Activity kits are given out one per child on a first-come, first served basis while stocks last.
Guided Tours & Trails
Balestier Heritage Healthcare Trail
Date: 8 Jun 2024
Time: 4.30pm to 6.30pm
Fee: $12 per pax | Purchase tickets here
Uncover the rich history and lesser-known stories of the Balestier precinct which is home to some of Singapore’s earliest healthcare institutions in this walking trail! From landmarks such as the former Tan Tock Seng pavilion wards and the former nurses’ quarters (now Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine), delve into the architectural developments of Balestier and its significance to Singapore’s healthcare history. Tours are brought to you by our Heritage Volunteers.
Trail is conducted in English.
Permanent Galleries Guided Tour
Date: 8 & 9 Jun 2024
Time: 2.30pm to 3.30pm (Mandarin) | 3pm to 4pm (English)
Fee: Free; limited spaces available
Join us for a guided tour of the Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall and hear the stories behind this century-old villa that trace Dr Sun Yat Sen’s revolutionary activities in Southeast Asia. Gain valuable insights on the impact of the 1911 Revolution on Singapore, as well as Singapore’s contributions to the Revolution. The tour is brought to you by our Heritage Volunteers.
