The family-friendly event, Qixi Fest, returns to Chinatown, bringing with it a vibrant celebration of Chinese cultural heritage, craftsmanship and community. Supported by the Singapore Tourism Board (STB), the festival will kick off on 3 August with the Qixi Fest Street Party at Keong Saik Road, with events and workshops in three clan houses along with fringe activities and stage programmes from 5-9 pm (SGT). From 4 to 11 August, Chinatown Kreta Ayer Square will be home to the Qixi Fest Village with exhibitions on Qixi Festival origins, scavenger hunts, and merchandise booths.
The festival, also known as the “wish upon the stars festival”, dates back to the Han Dynasty, and was brought to Singapore by Chinese immigrant women in the 19th century and became a grand celebration until it faded in the 1970s. Reviving this historical festival has been the passion of Singaporean heritage consultant Lynn Wong. Her quest began in the late 2010s, driven by a desire to uncover and document the festival’s rich history.
Qixi Fest was launched in 2023 with talks, workshops, exhibitions, and tours. This year, the fest is back with free and paid activities that are perfect for a family weekend out. The activities delve deeper into skillfulness (乞巧, qiqiao), featuring craftsmanship, intellectual games, storytelling, pastry making and songwriting mastery from local artisans and masters, while showcasing traditional Qixi Festival customs from various Chinese dialect communities.
Event Highlights:
– Cultural activities and performances
– Poetry workshops by Cultural Medallion recipients
– Urban sketching sessions featuring the great-granddaughter of Tan Keong Saik, Ms Anne Lim Siew Kim
– Queen’s Gambit Spectacular: Witness Singapore’s 8-year-old chess prodigy, Ashwath Kaushik, take on 14 opponents simultaneously. Ashwath’s birthday coincides with the exact date of the Qixi Festival this year (August 10)
– Sharing by esteemed speakers who grew up in Chinatown
– Tracing Her(Story) of the Samsui Women Immersive Game on WhatsApp — curated by Samsui descendant Pauline Fun and Festival Director Lynn Wong, the game leads participants to hidden gems around Chinatown
