If you want a Mid-Autumn outing in central Singapore that works for children, grandparents and visitors who simply want to see the festival in action, this is one of the easiest big programmes to drop into this weekend. The fourth edition of Mid-Autumn Family FUN — usually shortened to MAFF — is jointly organised by Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre (SCCC) and Singapore Chinese Orchestra (SCO).
The programme is deliberately broad. You can wander through a roof garden filled with giant illuminated rabbits, sample mooncakes, make Mid-Autumn crafts, watch storytelling and cultural performances, test yourself on lantern riddles, join a mass lantern walk, or book one of the ticketed workshops and performances.
Most importantly, you do not need to buy a full-day festival ticket just to take part. SCCC lists MAFF as a mixture of free and ticketed programmes, so it is possible to build a genuinely useful free visit around the public activities and only add paid sessions if something specific appeals.
01 · Dates, hours and venue
MAFF 2026 runs on 19–20 September 2026, with the overall festival programme listed from 1pm to 9pm. Activities are spread across Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre and the neighbouring Singapore Conference Hall.
- Main dates: Saturday 19 and Sunday 20 September 2026
- Festival hours: 1pm–9pm
- Main venues: Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre and Singapore Conference Hall
- SCCC address: 1 Straits Boulevard, Singapore 018906
- Languages: English and Mandarin
- Audience: all ages
Individual activities use their own time windows, so do not assume every programme runs continuously until 9pm. If one workshop, concert or performance matters to you, check its current SCCC listing before leaving home.
02 · What can you do for free?
There is enough free programming to make MAFF worthwhile even if you skip every ticketed activity. The Activities Village runs from 1pm to 7pm on both days, with free hands-on crafts including rabbit-ear headbands and colourful cellophane fans.
At SCCC’s Level 7 Multi-Purpose Hall, Gathering @ Level 7 runs from 1:30pm to 7pm. Its free programme includes a talk on Mid-Autumn traditions and customs, a Chinese orchestra duet, Xiang Sheng crosstalk and lantern riddles.
There is also a Mid-Autumn Mooncake Fiesta from 1pm to 7pm, where visitors can sample a selection of traditional and newer-flavoured mooncakes alongside herbal teas. It is listed as free, although tastings at festival events are naturally subject to on-the-day availability.
Down at the Level 1 Concourse, Performing Just For You! runs through the afternoon with English and Mandarin storytelling, children’s showcases, traditional dance, crosstalk and other cultural performances. The programme is free and continues into the early evening.
03 · The giant Bit Bit bunnies are staying well beyond this weekend
The most photogenic part of MAFF is not limited to the two-day festival. Bit Bit Forest Mid-Autumn Light Up! features five giant illuminated rabbit inflatables associated with Hong Kong designer and artist Chan Siu Kau’s Bit Bit character.
The installation is at SCCC’s Roof Garden and Concourse, and SCCC says it runs from 11 September to 13 December 2026. The dedicated event page lists the Roof Garden display as free from 10am to 10pm.
That gives travellers a useful fallback: if your Singapore dates miss the main MAFF weekend, the light-up itself remains available through much of the year-end festive period. During MAFF, however, the bunnies form part of a much bigger cluster of activities in and around the Centre.
04 · The mass lantern walk is the evening highlight
The Mass Lantern Walk: Talking to the Moon is scheduled on both festival days from 7:30pm to 8:30pm. SCCC lists it as free, with registration beginning at 7pm at SCO Exhibition Hall 3.
The route links SCCC, Singapore Conference Hall and Marina Bay Fire Station, using storytelling to introduce Mid-Autumn traditions along the way. Because it has a defined registration time and route, this is one activity worth treating as an appointment rather than something to drift into at the last minute.
If you are visiting with younger children, the practical rhythm is straightforward: do crafts and indoor performances earlier, have a break for food, then return for the lantern walk. Visitors who prefer a shorter stop can simply come later for the light-up and evening activity.
05 · What is ticketed?
MAFF also includes bookable workshops and performances. SCCC’s programme highlights The Makers’ Loft, with activities such as Pastel Nagomi Art, traditional Chinese tea experiences, TCM cold-brew tea bag making and upcycled lantern making.
The Singapore Chinese Orchestra and SCCC are also presenting A Voyage of Voices: Moonbound, a concert using Chinese orchestral music, riddles and storytelling to explore Singapore’s social and cultural journey.
Ticketing and registration vary by programme. Eligible Singapore Citizens can use SG Culture Pass credits to offset ticket costs for eligible MAFF programmes. Check the individual programme page before committing, rather than assuming every workshop has walk-in capacity.
06 · How to plan the weekend without overcomplicating it
For a mostly free visit: arrive in the mid-afternoon, start with the crafts, Level 7 activities and Concourse performances, then visit the Bit Bit Forest installation and stay for the 7:30pm lantern walk.
For families: choose one or two anchor activities rather than trying to complete all 25. Many sessions overlap, and the value is in enjoying the festival rather than turning the programme into a checklist.
For travellers: SCCC is in the CBD, so MAFF can sit naturally inside a central-Singapore day. The official venue page lists SCCC at 1 Straits Boulevard; use the Centre’s current “Visit” page for live public-transport and access information.
For anyone chasing a specific programme: re-check the live event listing on the day. Free does not always mean unlimited capacity, and workshops, registrations and tastings can have their own practical limits.
07 · Who will get the most out of it?
MAFF is strongest for families and residents looking for a cultural weekend that is easy to customise. It also has genuine traveller appeal because many of the activities explain Mid-Autumn traditions rather than simply decorating a shopping precinct.
If you only want the visual spectacle, the Bit Bit bunnies are the simplest part to see and remain on display until December. If you want the festival itself, this weekend is the moment: the crafts, performances, tasting, talks, lantern riddles and mass walk are concentrated across 19–20 September.
And if your interest is deeper than festival atmosphere, the workshops and orchestra programme offer a more structured route into Singapore Chinese culture. That mix — casual, free, bookable and educational — is what makes the event useful to both locals and visitors.
08 · Sources and live checks
This article was checked against the official SCCC Mid-Autumn Family FUN 2026 page and SCCC’s 7 September 2026 media release. Programme times were cross-checked against the official Activities Village, Gathering @ Level 7, Performing Just For You!, Mass Lantern Walk and Bit Bit Forest event pages.
Last checked: 19 September 2026. Individual programme availability, registration and ticket inventory can change, so check the organiser’s live page before travelling for one particular session.