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Chinese New Year (CNY) might still be a couple of weeks away, but the celebrations are already in full swing at Chinatown. If you’d like a glimpse of the lights, markets and buzz on these iconic streets, here is what you can expect.
When I walked the streets of Chinatown on a recent Friday night, I was surprised by both the crowds and the festive atmosphere. Locals and tourists could be seen walking and browsing the rows of stores along the bustling streets.
Many of these stores are fully decked out in auspicious red colours, with most displaying Chinese New Year decorations, gifts and goodies. If you don’t already feel the festivities of the Lunar New Year, visiting Chinatown will put you in the mood.
Also, if you are still in need of food and ornaments to prepare your home for CNY visitations, there are plenty of products for you to choose from here. From wall decals to paper cuttings to lanterns to banners, many of them feature horse motifs appropriate for the Year of the Horse.
There are also many stores selling classic CNY snacks that are a must-have this season. If you’d like to jump right into the thick of all the festive fairs, I recommend heading out from Exit A of Chinatown MRT station and following the crowds.
The theme of Chinatown’s festivities this year is ‘Galloping into the Prosperous Year’. And as usual, the highlight (literally) of the yearly CNY celebrations here is the street light-up. Aligning with the Year of the Horse, the 2026 centrepiece features an 8.8-metre golden horse, surrounded by huge lit-up flowers. Following closely behind, herds of smaller but equally vibrant horses gallop in the same direction, signifying unity and collective aspiration for the new year.
Additional rows of lights, lanterns, and decorations hang above and along the nearby roads, transforming the area into a warm, orange-drenched town filled with numerous photo-worthy spots. The Chinatown Street Light-up takes place daily until 18 Mar, along New Bridge Road, Eu Tong Sen Street, South Bridge Road and Upper Cross Street.
The lights are on from 7pm to 12am every night, but will extend to 6am on the first day of Chinese New Year, which falls on 17 Feb. For those of you who want the quickest access to the gigantic horse display, take Exit E of Chinatown MRT station.
For more information on all the Chinese New Year happenings at Chinatown, click here.
