With the Mid-Autumn Festival just around the corner, we sure hope that everyone has been stocking up on mooncakes and lanterns. But beyond just indulging in mooncakes, did you know that there are many more activities that you can take part in to ignite your holiday spirit? From traditional activities like moon-watching to digital experiences organised by the Kreta Ayer – Kim Seng Citizens’ Consultative Committee for Mid-Autumn Festival 2020 (online escape room, anyone?), here’s a list of 10 things you can do this Mid-Autumn Festival that will surely allow you to see the traditional Chinese festival in a whole new light.
1. Make Your Own Mooncakes with Easy Tutorials
Making your own mooncakes is actually much easier than you thought! Many simple recipes can be found online – from traditional TeoChew Mooncakes to Snowskin Mooncakes, and you can even try experimenting with your own flavours!
2. Show Off Your Chinese Knowledge by Guessing Lantern Riddles
You may remember Lantern Riddles, also known as ‘Deng Mi’ (灯谜), from Chinese lessons in primary school. These simple riddles are often hanging at the bottom or written on the side of lanterns during the Mid-Autumn Festival, and feature elements of Chinese wordplay. Relive your childhood and bond with your family by testing each other on these fun riddles and see who can get the most!
Alternatively, you can replace the Chinese riddles with English variations such as these.
3. Make Your Own Traditional Osmanthus Wine
Another forgotten tradition of the Mid-Autumn Festival is the appreciation of flower-based wines. As the Mid-Autumn season is when osmanthus flowers bloom, these flowers have traditionally been used to brew wines that are enjoyed while moon-watching.
As the wine goes perfectly with mooncakes and other Mid-Autumn-related snacks, buy some from the store or brew some yourself with easy recipes like this to enjoy the festival in all of its authenticity.
4. Show Off Your Photography Skills with Pictures of the Full Moon
Did you know that the Mid-Autumn Festival is also known as the Moon Festival? Historically, the festival started as a way to celebrate a year’s good harvest. Taking place during the autumn full moon – when the moon is thought to be at its roundest throughout the year, the festival allows family and friends to gather, feast, and pray together under the most beautiful moon of the year.
Now how cool does a picture of the full moon in all of its glory sound? If you’re a photography enthusiast, Mid-Autumn will be the optimum time for you to get that perfect shot, so grab your photog-kakis and plan a moon-watching session now! Alternatively, those less interested in photography can also enjoy the full moon with a late-night picnic, or simply admire it from your living room with family and friends.
5. Join In On The Mid-Autumn Festival Opening Ceremony
Many have been looking forward to the annual official Mid-Autumn Celebration, which always features a fun line-up of events and a beautiful array of light displays. With the pandemic situation this year, things have been uncertain. But fret not, Mid-Autumn Festival 2020 will be going virtual!
On 17th September, gather up your family and friends and get a watch party going on from the comfort of your own homes while the Opening Ceremony streams live over Facebook.
You may refer to this page for the full list of programs under this year’s celebration.
6. Be the First One Out in An Online Themed Escape Room
Thought traditional holidays are all old and boring? This event is here to prove you wrong! Join in on this Virtual Escape Room held over Zoom, where participants will work together in teams of 5 to hunt for a solution over a series of Mid-Autumn-related questions and puzzles!
The Online Escape Room will be held on 19th September, 2.00pm to 3.30pm, and costs just $5 per participant. Prizes like grab vouchers await winners, so grab your slots now!
You may find more information and the sign-up link here.
7. Take Part In An Online Lantern Painting Competition
If your children or younger siblings are interested in the arts, bond with them through this lantern painting competition held over Facebook! Open to children aged 3 to 12 years old, the competition allows children to choose from a whole range of lantern templates and express their creativity to the maximum. Attractive prizes from $100 to $300 await the top three winners!
The Online Lantern Painting Competition will be held from 12th September to 26th October. You may find more information here.
8. Instagram Photography Competition
If you’re into photography, unleash your creativity and show us how you get into the festive mood the next time you visit Chinatown! Simply snap your best shot and stand to win amazing prizes. All you need is a personal Instagram account – simply tag @ChinatownFestivals in your post and hashtag #ChinatownFestivalsSG for a chance to win.
The top three winners stand to win $800, $500, and $300 respectively, and there are even 8 consolation prizes of $80 each!
The Online Photo Competition will be held from 19th September to 26th September. You may click here for more information.
9. Tea, Mooncake, and Pomelo Appreciation
As this year’s festival will take place mostly online, a 3-part mini video series will be released to showcase some of the festival’s key traditions and to uncover the meaning and stories behind some of these traditions. Unearthing the Origins of Mooncake, featuring Tai Thong Cake Shop, will be broadcasted on 15th September, followed by Reasons to Drink Tea featuring tea merchant Pek Sin Choon showing on 24th September. The video series will end with All About the Mid-Autumn Pomelo on 27th September.
You may refer to this page for more information.
10. Street Light-Up Lantern Display with 360 Virtual Tour
Not to let the pandemic dull our spirit, the streets along New Bridge Road, Eu Tong Sen Street, and South Bridge Road will be lit up with lanterns for the festival, this time with more than 700 sculptures! For the first time, you may admire the light-up in its full glory from the comforts of your own home with a 360 Virtual Tour that will be carried out with aerial photography!
More information will be released at a later date, so make sure you keep up with the Mid-Autumn Festival’s full list of programs or their website!
See you (online) at the festival!
