Where To See Lion Dance In Singapore For Chinese New Year 2026

Image Credit: Wan Qing Yuan – Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall via Facebook

Lion dance performances are basically the heartbeat of the Chinese New Year in Singapore. The drums, the cymbals, the acrobatic lions leaping about. Proper CNY vibes! Kids absolutely love watching these colorful lions prancing around. And let’s be honest, adults get just as excited!

Year of the Horse kicks off February 17th. And lion dance troupes will be out in full force across Singapore. BusyKidd’s rounded up all the spots where you can catch these performances, from shopping malls to cultural centers to traditional neighborhoods. Most are free! So, it is brilliant for families looking to soak up the CNY atmosphere without spending a fortune.

Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre Lion Dance Exhibition

The SCCC is running an exhibition called ‘Tradition in Motion: Singapore’s Lion Dance Heritage’. Over 50 artefacts, photographs, figurines, posters explaining this cultural art form. You get to see the costumes up close. Understand the symbolism. Learn about different styles. The drums echoing through the cultural center really sets the mood. This runs through 30 April 2026, so you’ve got ages to visit.

• When: Now till 30 April 2026, 9 am to 10 pm
• Where: SCCC Concourse Level 1
• Cost: Free
• More Details

313@Somerset JOGUMAN Lion Dance Performance

313@Somerset has JOGUMAN dinosaur installations for CNY. Kids absolutely love these things. They’re doing a proper lion dance performance on 27 February at 11am at the main L1 entrance. The JOGUMAN dino decorations with lanterns and mandarin oranges make for brilliant photos. You can grab JOGUMAN red packets while you’re there. Shopping malls during CNY have great lion dance shows because the acoustics make those drums sound amazing.

• When: 27 February 2026 at 11 am
• Where: 313@Somerset, main L1 entrance
• Cost: Free
• More Details

Chinatown Festive Fair & Weekly Shows

The festive fair in Chinatown typically features multiple lion dance performances throughout the season. Other cultural shows too. You’re walking around streets decorated with lanterns. There’s amazing Chinese food at the fair stalls. Then suddenly drums start pounding and a lion dance troupe appears. Kids love the combination of watching performances, eating snacks, soaking up the festival atmosphere. The performances happen throughout the CNY period, not just on one day. Details haven’t been fully released yet for 2026.

• When: TBA
• Where: Chinatown, various locations
• Cost: Free
• More Details

The Istana Open House

The Istana opens during Chinese New Year with live performances including lion dances and cultural shows. What makes this different is you’re at the official residence of the President of Singapore. Adds grandeur to everything. Usually an exciting lineup of performances. Food trucks. You can take the Istana Heritage Tour to learn about the building’s history. Limited edition Istana souvenirs are available. Proceeds support President’s Challenge charities. Singaporeans and PRs get free entry.

• When: Estimated February 2026 (exact dates TBA)
• Where: 35 Orchard Road
• Cost: Free for Singaporeans & PRs, $20 per adult and $10 per child for others
• More Details

Marina Square Prosperity BrickLand

Marina Square’s CNY celebrations include Prosperity BrickLand. Basically a brick built playground with giant slides, climbing areas, building zones. They feature cultural performances throughout the season. Lion dances included. The carnival atmosphere with games and photo ops makes it easy to spend a whole afternoon here. Kids can burn energy on the playground. Watch performances. Play carnival games. My sister took her boys last year and they didn’t want to leave.

• When: 12 January to 24 February 2026
• Where: Marina Square Central Atrium
• Cost: Free
• More Details

River Hongbao 2026

River Hongbao at Gardens by the Bay is Singapore’s largest annual Chinese New Year event. Giant lantern displays light up the Supertree grove and gardens. Creates this magical atmosphere for evening visits. Carnival rides and food stalls keep everyone happy. Cultural performances including lion dances are scheduled throughout. Kids love wandering between enormous illuminated lanterns. Riding carnival rides. Catching performances. The combination of traditional lantern artistry with modern Gardens by the Bay architecture creates something uniquely Singapore.

• When: From 14 February 2026 (exact dates TBA)
• Where: Gardens by the Bay
• Cost: Free
• More Details

Chingay Parade 2026

Image Credit: Chingay Parade SG via Facebook

Chingay is the absolute biggest CNY event in Singapore. It’s massive floats, over 3,000 performers, fireworks, the whole shebang. The 2026 parade theme is ‘Wish’ celebrating Singapore’s multicultural heritage and SG60. Five huge parade floats and performances that’ll have the kids completely mesmerized.

Lion dances are part of it obviously, and when you’ve got this many performers in one place, it’s genuinely spectacular. The atmosphere at Chingay is electric. Everyone’s excited, the energy is infectious. One of those proper family memories you’ll talk about for ages.

PAssion Card Members get 30% off early bird tickets until 11 January, then 20% off from 12 January onwards. Not bad if you’ve got the card.

• When: 27 & 28 February 2026, 8 pm to 9.30 pm
• Where: F1 Pit Building, Marina Bay Street Circuit, 1 Republic Boulevard
• Cost: From $20, free for kids aged 2 and under
• More Details

CapitaLand Malls Lion Dance Performances

CapitaLand’s got Lion Dance Performances happening across 18 of their malls between 20 February and 3 March. Dead handy if you’re heading to one of these centres for shopping or lunch anyway. Most shows are at the main L1 entrances or atriums, so pretty easy to catch one while you’re there.

What’s brilliant is the spread. Whether you’re in town, out East, or up North, there’s likely a performance at a mall near you. On 23 February alone, you could catch three shows in the Bugis area if you’re really keen. The mall air conditioning is honestly a win when you’ve got young kids who get cranky in the heat.

Participating malls and dates:

• 20 February: SingPost Centre (4 PM)
• 23 February: Bugis Junction (11 AM), Bugis+ (12:30 PM), Bugis Street (2 PM), Westgate (11 AM), Plaza Singapura & The Atrium@Orchard (2:30 PM)
• 24 February: Aperia Mall (12 PM), Funan (11 AM), IMM (12 PM), Tampines Mall (10 AM), Raffles City Singapore (11:18 AM), CQ @ Clarke Quay (6 PM)
• 25 February: Bedok Mall (10 AM), Lot One Shoppers’ Mall (11 AM), Kallang Wave Mall (12:30 PM), Bukit Panjang Plaza (1 PM)
• 27 February: Junction 8 (10 AM)
• 3 March: Sengkang Grand Mall (11 AM)

Check individual mall websites closer to your visit date. Performances occasionally start a bit late due to crowd management. Arrive 10 to 15 minutes early for popular locations like Plaza Singapura or Raffles City.

• When: 20 February to 3 March 2026, various times
• Where: 19 CapitaLand malls across Singapore
• Cost: Free
• More Details: Check individual mall websites

What To Know About Lion Dance Performances

Lion dances can get quite loud with all those drums and cymbals. Most kids love it. Really young ones or noise sensitive children might need ear protection though. Or just stand a bit further back from the drums. No shame in that. I’ve seen plenty of parents doing this.

Performances typically last 15 to 30 minutes depending on the troupe and venue. Shopping mall shows tend to be shorter. Festival performances can run longer with multiple acts.

Best photo opportunities come when lions interact with the crowd or perform acrobatic moves on poles. Get your phone ready but also remember to just watch and enjoy sometimes. You don’t need to document every second.

Many performances involve the lions “eating” lettuce or oranges hung high up. Symbolizes good fortune. Kids find this bit particularly entertaining as the lions have to do acrobatic climbs to reach them. Proper impressive to watch.

If you’re at a shopping mall performance, arrive 10 to 15 minutes early. Get a good viewing spot. Popular shows get crowded quickly, especially on weekends.

Shopping Mall Lion Dances

Image Credit: The Seletar Mall via Facebook

Most major shopping malls across Singapore put on lion dance performances during CNY. VivoCity usually has them. Jewel Changi Airport too. ION Orchard. Pretty much any big mall will schedule a few shows throughout late January and February. Best bet is checking their websites or Instagram a few days before heading over.

Mall performances work well for families juggling multiple things. Pop in for some shopping, catch a lion dance, grab lunch. The aircon is honestly the biggest win though. Standing outside in Singapore heat watching performances gets rough fast. January’s still bloody hot. Kids get cranky, parents get sweaty. Much nicer watching lions leap around while staying cool inside.

Temple Visits

If you want a more traditional, intimate lion dance experience, various Chinese temples around Singapore host performances during CNY. Thian Hock Keng Temple, Kong Meng San Phor Kark See Monastery, other major temples often have lion dance troupes performing.

Temple performances tend to be more traditional in style. Deeply connected to the spiritual aspects of lion dance. Different vibe from mall shows. Quieter and more contemplative despite the drums. Check with specific temples for their CNY schedules if this appeals to you.

Tips For Enjoying Lion Dance Shows

• Explain the symbolism beforehand so kids understand what they’re watching. Lion dances aren’t just entertainment. They’re meant to bring good luck and ward off evil spirits. Understanding the meaning makes watching more engaging.
• Bring small notes if you want to participate in the tradition of “feeding” the lion. Some performances allow audience members to offer red packets or money to the lions for good fortune. Kids love being part of this interaction.
• Stay hydrated, especially at outdoor performances. Singapore’s heat doesn’t take a break for CNY. You’ll be standing or walking quite a bit.
• Dress comfortably. You might be standing for a while. If you’re visiting multiple venues in one day, comfortable shoes make all the difference.
• Check performance times carefully. Some venues list tentative schedules that change. Verify closer to the date you plan to visit. Nothing worse than turning up and finding out the performance was an hour ago.

Gong Xi Fa Cai!

Featured Image Credit: Chingay Parade SG via Facebook