The Chinatown Business Association will present the Chinatown Dragon Boat Festival 2025 from May 31 to June 1, taking place daily from 13.00 to 19.00 along Smith Street in Singapore.
The festival aims to bring residents, visitors, and businesses together in a shared celebration of tradition, food, and local culture in the heart of Chinatown.
Celebrating one of the oldest traditions in Chinese culture, the event will bring together a variety of activities centred around heritage, food, and community. Visitors can explore cultural workshops including a bookmark painting session and the Dragon Boat Canvas Voyage, where participants create dragon boat-themed artworks guided by facilitators.
At the Nyonya Chang Workshop, attendees will learn the traditional method of preparing and wrapping rice dumplings, and take home two uncooked pieces.
A land-based Dragon Boat Rowing Race will offer a chance for friendly competition, with individuals and teams aiming for the highest stroke count in timed rounds using dragon-inspired rowing machines. Traditional Lantern Riddles will also engage visitors in a test of wit and cultural knowledge.
Throughout both days, live performances will animate Smith Street, featuring lion and dragon dances, drum performances, traditional Chinese dance, face changing, harmonica music, and Teochew opera – showcasing various forms of Chinese performing arts.
Furthermore, there will be a quiet Art Corner offering books on seasonal traditions, symbolic items such as mugwort bundles and festive bookmarks, and a journal where visitors can pen messages or thoughts.
In addition, businesses along Smith Street will join the celebration with exclusive promotions, such as discounts on Nyonya Kebaya rentals, promotional prices on festive rice dumpling bundles, dragon boat-shaped banana split desserts, as well as chicken rice with dumpling-shaped rice to mark the occasion.
Admission to the Dragon Boat Festival is free.
For more information, visit Chinatown Singapore.
