Keeping the Hungry Ghost Festival alive

The lively strains of getai music start up in the distance, interspersed with peppy banter between multilingual emcees.

The Hungry Ghost Festival or Zhong Yuan Jie is here – a period when Buddhists and Taoists believe the gates of the underworld are open, allowing spirits to roam the earth.

The festival, commemorated throughout the seventh lunar month, sees devotees burning incense and joss paper and laying out food offerings for deceased ancestors and wandering spirits. In 2026, the seventh month spans Aug 13 to Sept 10.

It typically “peaks” on the 15th of the month, when families, businesses and temples hold prayer rituals and burn large quantities of paper offerings.

Accompanying these rituals are glitzy performances by seasoned crooners who belt out not just dialect hits, but even the occasional K-pop songs.

These getai – “song stage”, translated literally – shows have been an integral part of the festival over the decades, providing entertainment for both the living and the dead.

Behind the flashing lights is a sector determined to keep its tradition alive in the face of challenges.

For many performers, the Hungry Ghost Festival is no longer the most lucrative month that can tide them over quieter periods – they now pursue gigs throughout the year to ensure a constant cash flow.

Costs for logistics and manpower have crept up, while spaces available have decreased, say organisers, who are also looking for successors.

The challenge of drawing in new audiences also persists, as many younger Singaporeans grow increasingly disconnected from dialects and tradition.

The Straits Times speaks to the people involved – performers, organisers and audience members.