Singapore’s largest nocturnal festival returns from 21 August to 5 September 2026, transforming the Bras Basah.Bugis precinct with projection mapping, immersive performances and myth-inspired installations celebrating Singapore and Southeast Asia’s cultural heritage.
The Singapore Night Festival (SNF) returns for its 17th edition from 21 August to 5 September 2026, transforming the Bras Basah.Bugis precinct into a vibrant celebration of myths, legends and cultural storytelling from Singapore and across Southeast Asia.
Recognised as Singapore’s largest nocturnal festival, this year’s edition will transform the Bras Basah.Bugis (BBB) precinct into a vibrant cultural playground through immersive artworks, projection mapping, performances and interactive experiences inspired by regional myths and legends.
A key addition for 2026 is the introduction of the Museum Zone, centred around the National Museum of Singapore, the Children’s Museum Singapore and neighbouring heritage spaces. The new festival hub joins three returning zones spanning the wider Bras Basah.Bugis district, each presenting distinctive programmes that celebrate the precinct’s rich heritage through arts, culture and community engagement.
Across three weekends, festivalgoers can explore a diverse programme of projection mapping, large-scale art installations, live performances, experiential trails, creative markets and festival villages offering food and retail experiences.
One of the festival’s headline attractions is the inaugural MALAM Projection Mapping Competition, which provides a platform for emerging artists, students and creative collectives from across Southeast Asia. Supported by Epson, the competition attracted nearly 50 submissions from around the region, with the top 20 entries to be projected onto The Cathay during the opening week of the festival. Five winning works will remain on display throughout the festival.
Singapore Night Festival 2026 will also present ALIGHT 2.0, HeritageSG’s thought leadership platform dedicated to projection mapping and light-based art. The conference will bring together artists and creative practitioners from across Southeast Asia to discuss the evolving relationship between art, technology and public spaces through keynote sessions, panel discussions and networking opportunities.
Among the featured speakers are Michiyuki Ishita, Founder and General Producer of the internationally recognised 1minute Projection Mapping Competition and Representative Director of the Projection Mapping Association of Japan, Malaysian new media artist Abdul Shakir, and Indonesian multimedia collective The Fox, The Folks.
Festival Director Qazim Karim said Singapore Night Festival continues to evolve beyond spectacular light displays by creating shared cultural experiences that celebrate the region’s creative talent.
He noted that the enthusiastic response to the inaugural MALAM Projection Mapping Competition reflects growing regional interest in participating in Singapore’s premier night festival. Through this year’s Myths and Legends theme, the festival aims to inspire curiosity, strengthen community connections and reinforce Singapore Night Festival’s position as one of Southeast Asia’s leading cultural festivals.
Among the signature experiences this year is Tales of Earth and Sea, an immersive projection mapping showcase at the National Museum of Singapore created by Indonesian multimedia collective The Fox, The Folks. The work reimagines local folklore through striking visuals accompanied by an original cross-border soundtrack by Singapore’s music collective Artusik and Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Malaysia. During the opening weekend, audiences can also experience the Southeast Asian debut of Birdmen by Dutch performance company Close-Act Theatre, featuring illuminated stilt performers roaming alongside the projection display.
Visitors can also embark on The Lost Legacy of Fort Canning: The Forbidden Hill, a 70-minute immersive night trail through Fort Canning Park that explores the myths surrounding Bukit Larangan. Combining atmospheric soundscapes with live traditional Malay dance, the experience transports audiences to the world of 14th-century Singapura.
Elsewhere across the festival, historic and public spaces will be reimagined through large-scale installations inspired by mythology, folklore and environmental themes.
At Armenian Street Lawn, creative studio TELL YOUR CHILDREN presents Vikings of the Tropics, a nautical installation inspired by the maritime legends of the Bugis people and the epic La Galigo, highlighting Singapore’s historical role as a regional trading port.
Capitol Singapore Outdoor Plaza will host Once Upon A Time, a community artwork by weaver and upcycling artist Natalia Tan created with students from local schools. Constructed from textile waste, retired uniforms and recycled fabrics, the installation features 30 handcrafted animal sculptures inspired by regional folktales including Sang Kancil and Sang Buaya, while encouraging public participation in biodiversity awareness.
Singapore Management University Campus Green will showcase several installations, including The Dragon’s Tooth: A Legend of Becoming Light by Starlight Alchemy, You and I, Believing… by the Yellow Ribbon Community Arts Festival Committee 2026, and Traces by Filipino artist Isaiah Cacnio, inspired by the legend surrounding the historic Singapore Stone.
Festival installations will also extend to nearby shopping destinations. At Raffles City Singapore, local artist Ching Kai presents Inter-Light, an interactive work inspired by Singapore’s multicultural traditions and street performances. Funan will feature Rising of Sister Islands by SERIAL CO_, exploring one of Singapore’s best-known island legends through immersive storytelling.
At Plaza Singapura, UNIPLAY presents THE BLOOMING HEARTS FORTUNE MERLION, a colourful installation promoting plastic recycling through a Merlion sculpture made from recycled materials, while Bugis Street Art Lane will be transformed into Stormy Straits, an immersive seafaring experience by the Melting Po(r)t Collective, inspired by Singapore’s maritime heritage.
Meanwhile, ART-ZOO, in collaboration with the National Library Board, presents Lovebug, a whimsical large-scale installation celebrating local myths inspired by native wildlife and plants, including the endangered Raffles’ Banded Langur and the saga seed.
Beyond the official festival programme, visitors can also explore four installations presented under the inaugural Light Together Bras Basah.Bugis (LTB) initiative, which celebrates National Day through playful artworks inspired by local superstitions and everyday myths.
Most Singapore Night Festival 2026 programmes will be free to attend. Supported by Official Sponsors Accenture and Adobe, the festival’s interactive website will feature personalised visitor trails and an interactive map when it goes live during the festival period, with additional programme and ticketing information to be released progressively from 3 August 2026.
Source: Singapore Night Festival 2026
