Over 100 programmes by 90+ partners across Singapore invite the public to honour the people, practices, and passion behind the nation’s intangible cultural heritage in celebration of SG60.
Singapore, 24 April 2025 – The Singapore HeritageFest (SHF) returns from 1 to 25 May 2025 with a vibrant and diverse line-up of over 100 programmes island-wide, celebrating Singapore’s intangible cultural heritage (ICH), also known as living heritage. Organised by HeritageSG, a subsidiary of the National Heritage Board (NHB), the 22nd edition of the festival coincides with SG60 and highlights the rich contributions of cultural practitioners and heritage businesses that sustain the traditions and customs of the city-state.
Building upon the successful UNESCO recognitions of Hawker Culture in 2020 and the multinational inscription of the kebaya in 2024, SHF 2025 seeks to honour the full spectrum of Singapore’s living heritage. Through workshops, exhibitions, musical performances, food experiences, and nature-inspired events, the festival brings together over 90 partners and ICH practitioners to create an immersive cultural journey for the community.
Qazim Karim, Head (Festivals & Precinct Development) at HeritageSG, underscored the importance of recognising those who sustain Singapore’s heritage, stating, “For the SG60 edition of SHF, we celebrate those who have been silently toiling behind the scenes – from hawkers and craftspeople to performers and community groups. Their skills, knowledge and passion have helped sustain our living heritage and a sense of belonging to Singapore.”
Festival highlights include Out of the Red Box, a theatrical fusion of Teochew opera and getai, and the Creative Hub @ Peranakan Museum, which will feature community-led workshops in traditional arts such as tea brewing, calligraphy, and jamu-making. Attendees can also explore rattan weaving, traditional lantern crafting, and classic Indian and Malay musical genres.
The public can look forward to food heritage events like crafting Nasi Ulam with Sendok Rakyat, night-time baking at a 1960s-era bakery, and storytelling sessions on the origins of Bak Kut Teh with Song Fa and Pek Sin Choon. Social practices are explored through weddings, rites of passage, and nostalgic childhood games, while nature-based workshops reconnect participants with botanical traditions such as flower tying and pigment painting.
Signature programmes making a return include HOMEGROUND, set amidst the Silver Garden at Gardens by the Bay, featuring hawker pop-ups, workshops, and performances. Ride & Discover transforms Somerset, Dhoby Ghaut, and Bayfront MRT stations into curated exhibitions. Meanwhile, the mysterious UNDISCLOSED tour offers participants a surprise location for a sensory journey into hidden aspects of Singapore’s heritage.
Programme registration began on 22 April at 12:00 pm. For more details, click here.
