Singapore Chinese New Year 2026: Festivals, Food & Traditions

Chinese New Year in Singapore is not a quiet family affair. It is a city-wide explosion of red and gold that runs for about two weeks and turns the island into one of the most spectacular places in Asia to celebrate the Lunar New Year. Chinatown becomes a river of lanterns. Marina Bay hosts a massive fireworks show. River Hongbao transforms the waterfront into a carnival of illuminated floats. And everywhere — in shopping malls, in hawker centres, in HDB lobbies, on the MRT — you hear the two words that define the season: gong xi fa cai.

For visitors, Chinese New Year is both a gift and a puzzle. The celebrations are dazzling, the food is extraordinary, and the atmosphere is electric. But some shops close, some attractions have reduced hours, and prices for everything from flights to hotels spike. This guide tells you exactly what to expect, what to see, what to eat and what to avoid — so you can enjoy the festival without the surprises.

When is Chinese New Year and how long does it last

Chinese New Year falls on a different date each year because it follows the lunar calendar. In 2027, Chinese New Year's Eve is on 5 February and the first day is 6 February (Year of the Sheep). The public holidays in Singapore are the first two days (6-7 February 2027), but the festive season stretches much longer — from about two weeks before (when Chinatown lights up) to the fifteenth day, which is Chap Goh Mei (the Lantern Festival, the traditional end of the celebrations).

The most intense period is the week around New Year's Day itself. This is when family reunions happen, hong bao (red envelopes with money) are exchanged, lion dance troupes perform at businesses, and the streets are at their most festive. If you are timing your visit, aim for the five days around New Year's Day — you get the build-up, the main event and the aftermath, which is when locals start visiting each other and the city settles into a warm, celebratory mood.

Chinatown: the heart of the celebrations

Chinatown is where Chinese New Year in Singapore begins and ends. The street light-up — an elaborate installation of illuminated decorations stretching across Eu Tong Sen Street, New Bridge Road, South Bridge Road and the surrounding lanes — switches on about three weeks before New Year's Day. Each year has a different theme and design, and walking under the canopy of lights on a warm evening, with the shophouses glowing on either side and the sound of Chinese opera drifting from somewhere, is one of the defining sensory experiences of Singapore.

The Chinatown Chinese New Year Market runs for about two weeks leading up to New Year's Day. Stalls line the streets selling everything you need for the season: bak kwa (barbecued pork jerky — the queue at Lim Chee Guan on New Bridge Road can stretch for an hour in the final week), pineapple tarts, love letters (thin rolled wafers), mandarin oranges, red decorations, lucky charms, paper cuttings, lanterns, and an astonishing variety of festive snacks. The market is most atmospheric after dark, when the lights are on and the crowds are thick.

On New Year's Eve and the first two days, Chinatown hosts performances on temporary stages — lion and dragon dances, Chinese opera, acrobatics, martial arts demonstrations and traditional music. The energy is infectious. Families in their new clothes circulate through the streets, children clutch hong bao envelopes, and the smell of incense from the temples mixes with the smoke from bak kwa stalls.

Kreta Ayer People's Theatre and the Chinatown Heritage Centre both host special CNY programmes. The Buddha Tooth Relic Temple, at the southern end of Chinatown, is especially beautiful during the festival — lit up with red lanterns, full of worshippers, and fragrant with incense and flowers.

Getting there: Chinatown MRT (Downtown or North East Line). The market is a two-minute walk from Exit A.

River Hongbao: the waterfront festival

River Hongbao is the biggest CNY event in Singapore — a free outdoor festival at the Bayfront area near Marina Bay Sands and Gardens by the Bay. It runs for about ten days around New Year and features massive illuminated lantern displays (some three storeys tall), carnival rides, food stalls, traditional performances, nightly fireworks (on selected dates) and a countdown event on New Year's Eve.

The lantern displays are the centrepiece. Each year, a team of Chinese artisans builds enormous structures — zodiac animals, mythological figures, traditional scenes — that are lit up in vivid colours against the Marina Bay skyline. Walking through them at night, with the city lights reflected in the water behind you, is genuinely spectacular. The craftwork is detailed, the scale is impressive, and the setting is hard to beat.

The food stalls serve a mix of festive snacks and hawker favourites — yu sheng (the celebratory raw fish salad), tang yuan (glutinous rice balls), barbecued meats, satay, fried carrot cake and local desserts. There is always a stage with live performances — getai (traditional song shows), lion dances, magic shows and cultural performances — and a wishing tree where you can hang a red tag with your New Year wish.

The New Year's Eve countdown at River Hongbao includes a major fireworks display over Marina Bay. Arrive early — very early — to secure a viewing spot. The best positions are along the Bayfront promenade near the Merlion, or from the steps of the ArtScience Museum.

Getting there: Bayfront MRT (Downtown or Circle Line). Follow the crowds — it is impossible to miss.

Cost: Free entry. Food and carnival rides are paid individually.

Chingay Parade: the street procession

Chingay is Asia's largest street performance and float parade, held on the weekend after Chinese New Year (usually the second Saturday). It started in 1973 as a replacement for firecrackers (which were banned that year) and has grown into a massive multicultural spectacle featuring elaborate floats, stilt walkers, LED dancers, dragon and lion troupes, cultural performance groups from around the world, and tens of thousands of performers.

The parade route runs along the F1 Pit Building area near Marina Bay. Grandstand tickets are available (prices vary, typically S$30-60 for reserved seating), and there are free standing areas. The performances are genuinely impressive — not a quiet cultural parade but a full-scale entertainment production with pyrotechnics, music, choreography and theatrical sets on wheels.

What makes Chingay unique is that it is deliberately multicultural. While the timing is Chinese New Year, the parade includes Malay, Indian, Eurasian and international performance groups. It is Singapore's way of saying that the festival belongs to everyone, and the result is a show that feels both traditional and thoroughly modern.

Tip: Book grandstand tickets in advance through the Chingay website. If you do not want to pay, the free standing areas still have good views, but arrive two hours before the start.

The food: what to eat during Chinese New Year

Chinese New Year food in Singapore is a category of its own. Some dishes are eaten only during this period, and understanding them helps you participate in the celebrations properly.

Yu sheng (lo hei). This is THE CNY dish in Singapore and Malaysia — a raw fish salad with shredded vegetables, sauces, sesame seeds, peanuts and crispy cracker strips, assembled on a large platter. The ritual is the "lo hei" toss: everyone at the table stands up, picks up their chopsticks, and tosses the ingredients as high as possible while shouting auspicious phrases. The higher you toss, the more prosperity you attract. It is messy, noisy, joyful and absolutely compulsory. Restaurants serve yu sheng from about two weeks before CNY to Chap Goh Mei. Prices range from S$28 for a basic version to S$200+ for premium ones with abalone and salmon sashimi.

Bak kwa. Barbecued pork jerky — thin slices of pork marinated in a sweet-salty sauce and grilled over charcoal. It is the signature CNY snack and the queues at famous shops (Lim Chee Guan, Bee Cheng Hiang, Kim Hua Guan) can take over an hour in the final week before New Year. Buy it early in the season or order online. A box of 500g costs about S$25-40 depending on the shop and the cut.

Pineapple tarts. Buttery, crumbly pastry with a sweet pineapple jam filling. Every family has an opinion on the best ones. Some prefer the open-faced style (jam on top), others the enclosed ball. Bakeries sell them by the jar from about a month before CNY. Home bakers often make hundreds. They are addictive — once the jar opens, it empties fast.

Steamboat (hotpot). On New Year's Eve, families gather around a steamboat (the Singaporean term for hotpot) — a bubbling pot of broth in the centre of the table, surrounded by plates of raw meat, seafood, vegetables, noodles and dumplings that everyone cooks together. The communal meal symbolises reunion and togetherness. Some families add yu tiao (fried dough sticks), abalone and premium ingredients. Restaurants also offer CNY steamboat sets, but the best ones happen at home.

Nian gao. A sticky rice cake made from glutinous rice flour and sugar, traditionally steamed and then sliced and pan-fried. The name is a pun — "nian gao" sounds like "year high," meaning advancing higher each year. The pan-fried version, coated in egg and lightly crisped, is served as a snack or dessert. You will find it at bakeries, supermarkets and hawker stalls throughout the season.

Mandarin oranges. Mandarin oranges are exchanged as gifts during CNY visits — always in pairs. "Orange" in Cantonese sounds like "gold," so giving oranges is like wishing someone gold and prosperity. Every supermarket stocks massive displays of mandarins in the weeks before CNY, and choosing the right variety (sweet, easy to peel, vibrant colour) is a surprisingly serious business.

Chinese New Year events calendar

What closes during Chinese New Year

This is the practical section that most guides skip, and the one that catches tourists off guard. Chinese New Year is a family holiday, and many businesses close or reduce hours — sometimes for several days.

Hawker centres and kopitiams. Many Chinese-run hawker stalls close from New Year's Eve through Day 2 or even Day 3. Malay and Indian stalls usually stay open, so you can still eat well, but your options narrow significantly. If you are staying near Chinatown, the irony is that many of the food stalls in Chinatown itself are closed on the biggest Chinese holiday. Plan ahead — stock up on snacks or identify which stalls stay open.

Shopping malls and retail. Most malls stay open with reduced hours (opening later, closing earlier). Some smaller shops and independent retailers close for two to three days. Major chains (Uniqlo, H&M, Apple) usually operate throughout. The pre-CNY shopping rush is intense — malls are packed for the two weeks before the holiday, then eerily quiet on the day itself.

Attractions. Major attractions (Gardens by the Bay, Singapore Zoo, Sentosa theme parks, museums) generally stay open during CNY, often with special festive programmes and decorations. Some have modified hours on New Year's Day itself. Check individual attraction websites a few days before your visit. Universal Studios Singapore usually runs a special CNY event with themed decorations and performances.

Public transport. MRT and buses run on a modified schedule — usually starting later and ending later. Service frequency may be reduced on Day 1 and Day 2. Taxis and Grab are available but expect surcharges (the CNY taxi surcharge is standard and displayed on the meter) and longer wait times, especially on New Year's Eve.

Banks and offices. All closed on the two public holidays. Government offices may be closed for a full week. Banks resume on the first working day after the holiday.

Cultural practices you should know about

Participating in Chinese New Year in Singapore is more meaningful when you understand the customs. Here are the ones that matter for visitors.

Hong bao (red envelopes). Married adults give hong bao containing money to unmarried younger people, children and service staff. The amounts are always even (never odd — odd numbers are for funerals) and the notes should be new and crisp. If you are visiting a Singaporean family during CNY, it is thoughtful to bring hong bao for any children present. Even S$2 or S$4 in a red envelope is appreciated. You can buy hong bao packets at any bookshop or stationery store — they come in beautiful designs. Never give an empty one.

Wearing red. Red is the colour of luck and prosperity. During CNY, Singaporeans dress in red or other bright colours. Wearing red when visiting during the festival shows respect and is appreciated. Black and white are traditionally avoided during CNY (they are associated with mourning), though in modern Singapore this is relaxed.

Mandarin orange exchange. When visiting someone's home during CNY, bring two mandarin oranges (always in pairs). Present them with both hands. The host will give you two oranges in return when you leave. This is a prosperity wish — it is universal and expected.

Greetings. "Gong xi fa cai" (wishing you prosperity) is the standard Mandarin greeting. "Xin nian kuai le" (happy new year) also works. In Cantonese, "gong hei fat choy." In Hokkien, "sin ni khong hee." Any attempt is warmly received — Singaporeans are generous with CNY greetings across all languages.

Lion dances. Lion dance troupes perform at businesses (for luck in the new year), temples, malls and public spaces. The performances involve acrobatic lion costumes, drums, cymbals and firecrackers (or confetti poppers, since real firecrackers are banned). They are loud, colourful and thrilling. If a lion dance is happening near you, stop and watch — they are genuinely impressive and over quickly.

No sweeping on Day 1. Traditionally, sweeping or cleaning on New Year's Day sweeps away good luck. Most Singaporeans do a thorough house cleaning before CNY (symbolically sweeping away the old year's bad luck) and then avoid cleaning on Day 1 and sometimes Day 2.

Where to see lion and dragon dances

Lion and dragon dances are everywhere during CNY, but some venues are more reliable than others for catching a performance.

Shopping malls book professional lion dance troupes for their opening ceremony on the first day of business after CNY (usually Day 3 or 4). ION Orchard, VivoCity, Marina Bay Sands and Suntec City all host elaborate performances with multiple lions, elevated poles (the lions leap between them) and fireworks effects. Check their websites for scheduled times.

Temples are the most atmospheric venue. Thian Hock Keng Temple (Telok Ayer), Lian Shan Shuang Lin Temple (Toa Payoh) and Kwan Im Thong Hood Cho Temple (Waterloo Street) all have lion dances and special ceremonies during CNY. The combination of incense smoke, red lanterns, chanting and the thunderous drums of the lion dance troupe is unforgettable.

The Esplanade (the durian-shaped theatres on the waterfront) hosts free CNY performances on its outdoor stage — traditional music, dance and cultural shows — throughout the festive period. The programme changes each year and is posted on the Esplanade website.

Practical tips for visiting during Chinese New Year

• Book accommodation early. Hotels fill up and prices increase by 30-50% during CNY week. Book at least two months in advance for the best rates.
• Flights are expensive. CNY is the peak travel period for Singapore's large Chinese population visiting family. Flight prices to and from Singapore spike significantly. Fly in a few days before or after the main dates if you can.
• Carry cash. Some hawker stalls and market vendors are cash-only, and ATMs may run low during the holiday period. Withdraw extra before New Year's Eve.
• Plan your meals. Identify which restaurants and hawker stalls stay open. Hotel restaurants, McDonald's, and most chain restaurants operate throughout. Little India and Kampong Glam eateries (Malay and Indian cuisine) are mostly open.
• Wear comfortable shoes. The Chinatown market, River Hongbao and Chingay Parade all involve a lot of walking and standing. The crowds can be dense.
• Expect noise. Drums, firecrackers (confetti versions), lion dances, music — CNY in Singapore is loud. If you are sensitive to noise, bring earplugs for crowded events.
• Photography. The decorations and performances are incredibly photogenic. The Chinatown light-up is best photographed from the junction of Eu Tong Sen Street and Upper Cross Street. River Hongbao lanterns look best after 8pm when the crowd thins slightly.

Beyond Chinatown: CNY celebrations across the island

While Chinatown is the epicentre, Chinese New Year touches every corner of Singapore.

Gardens by the Bay runs a special CNY flower display in the Flower Dome — a riot of orchids, peonies and festive flowers arranged in elaborate Chinese-themed installations. The Supertree Grove often has special CNY-themed lighting for the Garden Rhapsody show. The combination of the conservatory exhibition and the outdoor light show makes Gardens by the Bay one of the best CNY experiences in Singapore.

Sentosa decorates for the season with themed installations, and attractions like Universal Studios Singapore, S.E.A. Aquarium and the Merlion offer CNY specials. The island is less crowded than Chinatown and can be a good option for families with children who want festive atmosphere without the crush.

HDB estates. If you want to see how ordinary Singaporeans celebrate, walk through any public housing estate during CNY. The corridors are decorated with red banners and lanterns, every door has spring couplets (red paper strips with Chinese calligraphy), and the void decks (ground-floor open spaces) host community CNY dinners and performances. It is the most authentic and least touristy way to experience the festival.

Orchard Road gets its own CNY decorations — not as elaborate as Christmas, but still festive, with red and gold installations along the shopping belt. The malls compete for the most impressive CNY display, and some host free performances in their atriums.

Singapore Zoo and Night Safari celebrate with special CNY programmes — animal-themed zodiac trails, festive decorations and cultural performances within the parks. The Zoo's CNY activities are family-friendly and a good daytime option before heading to River Hongbao in the evening.

Temple visits during Chinese New Year

Temples are the spiritual heart of Chinese New Year, and visiting one during the festival is an experience that stays with you long after you leave Singapore. The two biggest temple moments are New Year's Eve (when families pray for a good year ahead) and the first morning of the new year (when devotees rush to be among the first to offer incense).

Thian Hock Keng Temple on Telok Ayer Street is the oldest Hokkien temple in Singapore, built in 1839 by early Chinese immigrants giving thanks for their safe passage across the South China Sea. During CNY, the temple is resplendent — extra lanterns, fresh flowers, incense so thick you can taste it, and a steady stream of worshippers. The architecture alone is worth the visit: intricate roof dragons, hand-painted door guardians, and ceramic figurines imported from southern China over a century ago. Entry is free and respectful visitors of all backgrounds are welcome.

Kwan Im Thong Hood Cho Temple on Waterloo Street is Singapore's most popular Chinese temple, and during CNY the queues can stretch around the block. Devotees come to draw fortune sticks (chiam si) — you shake a cylindrical container of numbered bamboo sticks until one falls out, then match the number to a printed fortune. The fortunes range from exceptionally auspicious to mildly ominous, and the ritual is taken seriously. Flower sellers line the street outside, and the atmosphere is a wonderful mix of devotion and festival energy.

Lian Shan Shuang Lin Monastery in Toa Payoh is less touristy but architecturally magnificent — a national monument with ornate halls, a seven-storey pagoda, and peaceful courtyards. During CNY, the monastery hosts vegetarian feasts and special prayer sessions. It is a quieter alternative if you want the temple experience without the Waterloo Street crowds.

For a different tradition, visit the Sri Mariamman Temple on South Bridge Road (right in Chinatown) — Hindu temples in Singapore also see increased activity during CNY as the Indian community joins in the multicultural celebration. The gopuram (tower) is one of the most photographed structures in Chinatown, and the juxtaposition of Hindu and Chinese festival decorations in the same street captures Singapore's multiculturalism perfectly.

Shopping and bargain hunting during the festive season

Chinese New Year is one of the two biggest shopping seasons in Singapore (the other is the Great Singapore Sale in June). Malls go all out with decorations, promotions and lucky draws. Orchard Road is the main battleground — ION Orchard, Ngee Ann City, Paragon and Mandarin Gallery all compete for shoppers with red-and-gold installations, lion dance performances and CNY-themed pop-up stalls.

The best deals are in the week AFTER Chinese New Year, when stores clear festive stock. If you time your visit for the second week of CNY (days 5-15), you catch both the tail end of celebrations and the start of post-CNY sales. Electronics, fashion and beauty products see the steepest discounts. Bugis Junction, Mustafa Centre (in Little India, which stays open throughout CNY) and IMM outlet mall in Jurong are particularly good for bargain hunters during this period.

For unique CNY souvenirs, skip the mass-produced decorations at the night market and look for handmade items at Yue Hwa Chinese Products on Eu Tong Sen Street (a five-storey Chinese department store selling tea, silk, porcelain and traditional crafts), NaiSe (modern Chinese-inspired lifestyle goods at Marina Bay Sands or Jewel), or the gift shops at the Asian Civilisations Museum and the Peranakan Museum. A box of artisan pineapple tarts from a home baker (advertised on Instagram and Carousell) also makes a thoughtful and delicious gift to bring home.

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