Chinatown Mid-Autumn Festival 2018 | Sep 8, 2018


Remembering Singaporean pioneers, and foremothers, at Chinatown Mid-Autumn Festival 2018.


Quick, photo-heavy post.

Popped by downtown last evening to check out this year’s Chinatown Mid-Autumn Festival light-up.

I didn’t know it was opening night; many roads were barricaded! Luckily, I was still able to weave my way through to the lanterns towards the later part of the evening.

My current golden spot for photographing the Eu Tong Sen Street showpiece was also, surprisingly, uncrowded.

Singapore Chinatown Mid-Autumn Festival 2018 - Chinese Junk Lantern
The main Chinese Junk showpiece at the junction of Eu Tong Sen Street / New Bridge Road and Upper Cross Street.

This year’s theme celebrates Singaporean Chinese pioneers, i.e., the ones who migrated here in the 19th century and stayed in Chinatown. As for the Chinese Junk, it’s (supposedly) what these intrepid migrants came on.

To be quite honest, I felt the vessel has very little to do with the Mid-Autumn festival, on top of being more of a Hong Kong symbol. But with the need to come up with something fresh every year, I suppose it’s nonetheless a creative and meaningful concept. Pretty imaginative too.

Illuminated Chinese Junk Lantern in Chinatown, Singapore
The adorned masts. (Why on Earth is such a beautiful vessel still called a Junk?!)
Chinatown Mid-Autumn Festive Light-Up 2018 - Chinese Pioneers
Pioneers reaching Singapore. This “connects” with the Chinese Junk showpiece, as in the diorama represents Chinese migrants disembarking at the shores of olden Singapore. (I think)
Singapore Chinatown Lantern Festival 2021.
A bullock cart. The vehicle that gave Singapore Chinatown its colloquial name. (Niu Che Shui means bullock-water-cart)
Illuminated Samsui Women at Chinatown, Singapore
The formidable Samsui Women construction workers of old Singapore! Nowadays, also the informal mascots of Chinatown?

Joke: When young, I was warned NEVER to pick a fight with a Samsui Woman, or sam-sui-po. One punch from any will knock the full moon out of you.

Chinatown Mid-Autumn Festival 2018 - Coolies and Richshaw
Singapore rickshaw puller and coolies. Sorry for the tree in the middle.
Chinese Dragon Dance at Chinatown, Singapore
Chinese dragon dancers.
Mid-Autumn Festival 2018 Celebrations in Singapore
More dragon dancers. Note the “electrifying” dragon head. (It’s a storm dragon!)
Singapore Chinatown Fireworks
Fireworks at the end of the opening ceremony.

Chinatown Mid-Autumn Festival 2018 is ongoing till Oct 8, 2018. Other than the lights, there are the usual festive market and nightly performances at Kreta Ayer Square. Details here.
Please visit my Disney Tsum Tsum Mid-Autumn in Singapore and Mid-Autumn @ Gardens by the Bay 2018 posts too!

Singapore Chinatown Mid-Autumn Festival 2019 Light-Up.

Read my other Festive Celebrations in Singapore posts.

Summary
Chinatown Mid-Autumn Festival 2018
Article Name
Chinatown Mid-Autumn Festival 2018
Description
Chinatown Mid-Autumn Festival 2018 photos. This year honours pioneers who believed in Singapore when it was no more than a fringe settlement.
Author
Scribbling Geek
Scribbling Geekhttps://www.scribblinggeek.com
Geek, gamer, writer, movie lover, photographer, and occasional graphic artist. I like to consider myself a one-stop content creator of sorts. But the truth is, I obsess over too many hobbies.

Related Articles

2 COMMENTS

Thanks for commenting!

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

error: Alert: Content selection is disabled!!
%d bloggers like this: