Celebrating Mid-Autumn Festival 2021.
In the blink of an eye, two thirds of 2021 is over and autumn is upon Singapore. Well, autumn by the Chinese lunar calendar year, anyway.
Yes, we are into the lunar eighth month and the annual Mid-Autumn Festival, or Zhongqiu Jie, is just days away. Much like last year, festivities and light-ups are not too badly hit by (still ongoing) pandemic concerns too, and so Chinatown and Gardens by the Bay are once again adorned by elaborate festive lanterns.
Oh, there are mini mooncake fairs everywhere as well! These are all very carefully crowd-managed, by the way. With little loss of festive ambience or buyers’ enthusiasm.
Anyway, the following are the festive light-up pictures I took for this year. As the one at GBTB starts on a later date, I’d add those next week. Do check back for those!
Chinatown Mid-Autumn Light-Up 2021
The much, err, worried-about Chang-e for this year has so far drawn no criticism. Personally, I don’t see why there should be any complaints too. This year’s version is as traditional and as classic as the mythical moon goddess could be. (And I like how’s she’s flying instead of just … standing there)
Chinatown Point
Chinatown Point has its own celebration this year! The showpiece is a colourful lantern tunnel before the main entrance.
Gardens by the Bay Mid-Autumn 2021
Over at Gardens by the Bay, it’s rabbits galore! Including a section devoted to Miffy!
The layout/placement for the lanterns is also different this year. Half of the elaborate showpieces are within the Flower Dome, with accompanying displays of gorgeous Chrysanthemum blooms, the flower traditionally associated with the Chinese autumn.
The rest of the decorations are clustered at the entrance piazza. Interestingly, Madam Chang’e doesn’t make an appearance anywhere. It’s strictly cutesy rabbits, and other auspicious animals in Chinese culture.
By the way, there’s no “tunnel of lights” this year at the entrance piazza. In replacement is a “Rabbit Trail” walk flanked by the rabbit lanterns shown above.
Just to highlight too, there are no lantern displays at the Supertree Grove this year. Instead, Art-Zoo 2021 is ongoing there. This event is equally worth a look for some of the inflatables have really quirky expressions.
Mooncakes Singapore 2021 – Unusual and Traditional Packaging Aplenty
What’s a Mid-Autumn Festival post without a look at the mooncakes on sale in Singapore this year, eh?
But I don’t intend to do a list of fanciful or geeky mooncakes, i.e., what I posted last year. I think we are all used to unusual flavours and innovative ingredients by now. (Durian paste filling is still hugely popular, in case you’re wondering)
Instead, how about we take a look at the packaging this year?
This has to be a big area of the marketing push, with all the creativity thrown in. With the bulk of mooncakes being bought as gifts, especially corporate gifts, it’s only to be expected too that packaging will get increasingly elaborate. Or should I say, fanciful?
Chinatown Mid-Autumn 2021 Light-Up is ongoing till October 5, 2021. Check here for associated programmes!
Gardens by the Bay Mid-Autumn Festival 2021 is ongoing till October 3, 2021. Do note that for adults, entrance fees apply for the Flower Dome. Photographers: camera tripods are also not allowed on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays too. Details here!
Singapore Mid-Autumn Festival 2022
Read my other Festive Celebrations in Singapore posts.
