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Festivals in Singapore: What’s on in 2020?

By Satya Iyer on Jan 16, 2020
Themes:  Festival  | Category: Festival | Country:  Singapore

Singapore is one of the most happening tourist places in Southeast Asia, which can be explored with lucrative and budget-friendly Singapore tour packages. Singapore can best be described as a city-state which witnesses the seamless confluence of the east and the west. In fact, the Lion City merges the richness of Asian and European cultures beautifully. The different areas such as Little India and Chinatown show the rich mix of ethnicities that inhabit the island city-state. Another proof of Singapore’s diversity comes from the fact that it has four official languages.The modern city is home to a wide range of cultures, religions and the food fiestas and enjoys similar dynamics when it comes to festival celebrations.

Our Singapore holiday list for 2020 will help you to plan your trip better and know when to go to explore the best of Singapore. Here, check out the top 10 festivals of Singapore. Here, check out the top 10 festivals in Singapore that one must witness in 2020.

  • Pongal Festival – 15th January 2020
  • Chinese New Year – 25th – 26th January 2020
  • Thai Poosam – 8th February 2020
  • Vesak Day – 7th May 2020
  • Singapore Art Festival – 15th – 31st May 2020
  • Hari Raya – 24th – 25th May 2020
  • Duanwu Festival – 25th June 2020
  • Singapore Food Festival – 17th July – 24th July 2020
  • Singapore National Day – 9th August 2020
  • Hungry Ghost Festival – 2nd September 2020
  • Deepavali Festival – 14th November 2020
  • Pongal Festival – 15th January 2020
  • Chinese New Year – 25th – 26th January 2020
  • Thai Poosam – 8th February 2020
  • Vesak Day – 7th May 2020
  • Singapore Art Festival – 15th – 31st May 2020
  • Hari Raya – 24th – 25th May 2020
  • Duanwu Festival – 25th June 2020
  • Singapore Food Festival – 17th July – 24th July 2020
  • Singapore National Day – 9th August 2020
  • Hungry Ghost Festival – 2nd September 2020
  • Deepavali Festival – 14th November 2020

1. Pongal Festival

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The Pongal or Makar Sankranti is a four-days long Hindu festival that signifies the harvest and importance of cows. It indicates the end of autumn and the beginning of Spring. The Hindus in Singapore do celebrate them with great respect to the sun god and offer the first produce as sweet boiled rice. As per the Singapore holiday list, it’s a national holiday too. This is a national holiday too. The Hindus paint their homes, decorate with the sugar cane stems and put kolam or chalk drawing in front of their home.

When: 14th to 17th January 2020

What to Experience: Pongal related cultural, colorful Kolam, sweet Pongal, and Surya Namaskaram

2. Chinese New Year

Singapore holiday packages

The Chinese communities in Singapore do celebrate their new year as they welcome the spring season. It’s one of the most awaited Singapore festivals where the people clean their homes to usher in good luck. You can find a busy purchase rush in Chinatown. They buy new clothes, gifts, and sweet items to distribute to others. They light Chinese lanterns during the night and decorate their homes with red and gold colours. Gifts are also engaged and kids are given Hong Bao or red envelopes. It will be a full glory to see the dragon flying in the main city.

When: 25th to 26th January 2020

What to Experience: Dragon Dance, Chinese lanterns, Chinese market, and temple visit

3. Thai Poosam

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Thai Poosam is a religious festival in Singapore. You must be at Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple and Sri Thendayuthapani Temple to witness the vibrant colors and sacrifice on this fiesta. The Hindus take a procession by carrying kavadis (altars) and reach the temple site. They do sacrifice the goat or chicken as an offering. They wear a yellow dress to appease the gods. This is a 2-day celebration where they give offering to god and distribute the prasadam or sweets and snacks to others. You may enjoy this festival by booking Singapore tour packages from Ahmedabad. There are also many Singapore day tours which cover the Thai Poosam festival. The festival runs for around for 2 days, starting from the eve of the day to the day itself.

When: 8th February 2020

What to Experience: Colorful Kavadis, temple festival, carnival

4. Vesak Day

Singapore tours

This is an annual Buddhist festival in Singapore that is celebrated in honour of the enlightenment of Buddha. This Buddhist festival falls on full moon month in the month of Vesak. Singaporeans visit nearby temples for meditation, engage in charity work on this festive occasion in Singapore.

When: 7th May 2020

What to Experience: Buddhist culture

5. Singapore Art Festival

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The Singapore Art Festival is one of the most important festivals of Singapore and home to music, art, theatre, and dance performances. The visual arts performers gather in Singapore City during this fiesta to showcase their talent in various art forms. Most of the event happens after the sunset. Yet, you can hear music bands displaying their talent during the day. Various film screenings do take place in indoor venues. It is a great platform for Singaporeans to show their talent. If you’re a connoisseur of art, then this Singapore festival is a must-attend for you.

When: 15th to 31st May 2020

What to Experience: Visual arts, music, and dance

6. Hari Raya

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Hari Raya Puasa, or the Day of Celebration, marks the end of Ramadan – the fasting period for Muslims. On this auspicious day, people visit the mosques and the graves of their families. People also wear new clothes and visit each other’s homes. In the evening, oil lamps are lit up and people recite taqbir in mosques. The festival symbolises the purification of the soul of an individual.

When: 24th – 25th May 2020

What to experience: Delicious food at Geylang Serai Bazaar, fast-breaking ceremony near Sultan Mosque.

7. Duanwu Festival

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Duanwu Festival or Dragon Boat Festival is an enthralling boat race fiesta in Singapore. You must visit Bedok Reservoir to witness this thrilling boat race. You can bet and win a fortune at this venue. You can get wine and rice dumplings at the boat race venue. You can also see this race in DBS Marina Regatta too.

When: 25th June 2020

What to Experience: Culture

8. Singapore Food Festival

Singapore holiday tour packages

This is an important food festival, which is organized by the Singapore tourism department. It encourages local or Singaporean cuisines and multi-national cuisines. Renowned chefs from across the globe take part in various food competitions held here. This fiesta is also a delicious feast for foodies.

When: 17th to 24th July 2020

What to Experience: Culinary workshop

9. Singapore National Day

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This is a national holiday and the Singaporeans rejoice the freedom, in the streets. You can find a parade, procession, and cultural happenings in the main street in the day hours. You must come to Marina Bay to witness the spectacular fireworks during the night.

When: 9th August 2020

What to Experience: Colorful fireworks

10. Hungry Ghost Festival

International tour packages

The Hungry Ghost Festival is an important day in the Singapore holiday list. It’s a festival celebrated by Buddhists and Taoists. Falling on the 15th night of the 7th month of the Chinese calendar, it’s also known as the Zhongyuan Festival or Yulan Festival. It’s believed that ghosts from the lower realms come out on this day. People visit the graves of the deceased in their family and offer them food. People believe that the material needs of the deceased need to be met, otherwise they may create mischief. The celebrations are pretty joyous with tents and live performances.

When: 2nd September 2020

What to experience: You can choose from a range of experiences such as the Birth, Life, and Death Tour in Chinatown, the Asia Paranormal Investigators (API) tour, and festivities at the Lorong Koo Chye Sheng Hong Temple.

11. Deepavali Festival

Singapore tourism

This is a Hindu religious festival, which is celebrated with lights and crackers. They decorate their home and compound it with oil-lit clay lamps. This is a week-long festival in Singapore. Here, the Hindus paint their house, buy new clothes, and prepare sweets and savories at home. They burn crackers during the night and lit up the night sky with colors. They distribute the sweets and gifts to their neighbors after prayer.

When: 14th November 2020

What to Experience: Fireworks

12. Singapore Night Festival

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It’s one of the best Singapore festivals to enjoy the heritage of the city. This is when all the heritage sites in the city are decorated with colourful lights. One of the best places to experience this festival is the Bras Basah Bugis art enclave. The themes change every year, based on which artists and celebrations take place. Some streets take the form of pedestrian-only areas.

When: 21st – 29th August

What to experience: Celebrations on the streets, especially festivities at the Bras Basah Bugis.

13. Mid-Autumn Festival in Singapore

International tour packages

This is a spectacular lantern festival in Singapore. There is a myth behind this fiesta. As per the legends, the Chang Er is the woman who made the moon her abode after drinking an elixir. The Singaporeans celebrate this with colorful lanterns. It will be eye-soothing to see those lanterns during the night.

When: 1st October 2020

What to Experience: Cultural activities like folk dance and music

14. Christmas

singapore tours

Christmas is celebrated with great pomp and show in the streets of Singapore. The roads become as cheerful as a carnival and trees and arches are decorated with lights. It’s one of the best times to be in Singapore.

When: 25th December 2020

What to experience: Christmas carnival celebrations on Orchard Road.

All-inclusive Singapore Malaysia Thailand tour packages are the best to book in the festival seasons in 2020.

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Satya Iyer
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Comments :
  1. Robbin says:September 1, 2020 at 5:51 am

    I love these festivals. This looks so wonderful. Thanks for sharing this information!

    1. Flamingo Transworld says:October 5, 2020 at 5:42 am

      Glad you liked it !

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