More in-person festivities making a return for Mid-Autumn Festival

Mid-Autumn Festival celebrations are under way at Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall, Gardens by the Bay and Chinatown, with the common theme of a blissful reunion after the pandemic hit.

Organisers expect a good turnout as in-person activities return or are held on a bigger scale, with lantern displays, food fairs and performances among the highlights.

The Memorial Hall in Tai Gin Road is showcasing a lawn installation created in collaboration with Kai 3D Art Studio from Taiwan until Sept 25. Celestial Bodies features spherical lanterns about 2m high depicting the Sun, Moon, Earth, Saturn and Mercury, symbolising the joyous union of family and friends.

There will be free and ticketed programmes such as performances and workshops on Sept 3 and 4.

Mr Alvin Tan, National Heritage Board's deputy chief executive for policy and community, said the lawn installation has been a yearly attraction, drawing 31,000 visitors last year. All other festival programmes were held virtually in the past two years, and he expects more visitors this year as these events return to the Memorial Hall.

For the first time since the pandemic, Gardens by the Bay will bring back its marketplace offering street food from Aug 27 to Sept 11.

Ms Teo Ying Er, its assistant director of programming (festivals and events) said that with the return to normality, visitors can fully enjoy the festivities with no restrictions.

Highlights of its lantern display include one called Flight To The Phoenix, inspired by the Chinese tale of 100 birds soaring towards the phoenix to honour its sacrifice. At the Supertree Grove is Joyous Reunion, featuring the 12 Chinese zodiac animals.

Another lantern set, The Colours Of Daily Life, depicts animals playing in a post-pandemic world. It is made from traditional Korean paper, in partnership with the Embassy of the Republic of Korea and Seoul Tourism Organisation.

Colonnade Of Lights features 1,000 lanterns painted by the public, including readers of the Chinese Media Group of SPH Media Trust, one of the festival partners.

In Chinatown, an in-person event will be held after two years of virtual festivities, with the theme of Blossoming Flowers Under The Full Moon, in reference to a sense of bliss as families reunite.

Visitors can view the light-up in Upper Cross Street for the first time, in addition to the usual areas of New Bridge Road, South Bridge Road and Eu Tong Sen Street, from Aug 26 to Sept 25.

The main centrepiece at Eu Tong Sen Street is a 10m-tall sculpture of snowskin mooncakes accompanied by jade rabbits. There will also be mooncake lanterns representing various Chinese dialect groups.

For the first time, there will be a food fair in Smith Street from Aug 26 till Sept 10.

Mr Ryan Tan, co-chairman of the Chinatown festival committee, said he hopes to attract a million visitors to the Chinatown Mid-Autumn Festival this year, the same number that came pre-pandemic.

The Mid-Autumn Festival, also known as the Lantern or Mooncake Festival, is celebrated on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month, which is on Sept 10 this year.

Madam Jocelyn Foo, a 41-year-old administrator, said: "It's good to have these public events again after celebrating at home for two years. We will simply put on our masks if it gets too crowded."