The 2023 Duan Wu Carnival, jointly organised by Singapore Federation of Chinese Clan Associations (SFCCA) and Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre (SCCC), was held on 17 June at the SFCCA premises in Toa Payoh. Mr Chee Hong Tat, Senior Minister of State for Finance and Transport, graced the carnival as the Guest-of-Honour. This marked his second appearance at the Duan Wu Carnival, following his participation in the 2016 carnival held at the amphitheater in front of Toa Payoh Library.
Mr Chee Hong Tat, Senior Minister of State for Finance and Transport, graced the carnival as the Guest-of-Honour
Mr Chee Hong Tat, Senior Minister of State for Finance and Transport spoke at the event and in his speech he mentioned that this event serves as a platform to promote an understanding of our diverse cultures and to celebrate Singapore’s much treasured harmony in our multi-racial society.
Senior Minister of State Mr Chee Hong Tat giving his speech
During the event, SFCCA President Mr Thomas Chua said in his speech that the Duanwu Festival holds significance not only within the Chinese culture but also transcend boundaries of race and ethnicity. It represents a celebration of patriotism that unites us all, going beyond cultural heritage.
SFCCA President Thomas Chua giving his speech
After a three-year hiatus due to the pandemic, the long-awaited food fair made a spectacular comeback at this year’s carnival. The food fair featured an extensive range of specialties presented by various clan associations, including traditional delicacies that are not commonly found in the market. Visitors had the opportunity to indulge in a diverse array of rice dumplings and specialty snacks from different regions in China, as well as savour Malay and Indian culinary delights provided by the Paya Lebar Malay Activity Executive Committee and Indian Activity Executive Committee, celebrating the unique flavours of different cultures.
The Duanwu Tradiational Food Exhibition featured an extensive range of specialities
To further elevate the carnival experience, busking performances were introduced for the first time, captivating the audience with self-accompanied singing and classical instrument performances. The award ceremony for the “Children and Youth Online Art Contest” also took place on the same day. This year’s competition, with the theme “Celebrating Duan Wu Festival, Looking Forward to a Brighter Future”, received a total of 237 entries from talented participants aged 3 to 18.
The Duanwu Carnival featured busking performances for the first time
“Children and Youth Online Art Contest” Award Ceremony
The carnival offered a wide range of activities, including two WeChat games: “Duan Wu Festival Quiz” and “Run Dumplings Run”. Due to popular demand, the two onsite telematches, “Dumplings Dash” and “Dumplings on the Roll,” returned this year. 372 participants from various clan and community organisations, including fellow ethnic community members and new immigrants, enthusiastically took part in these telematches.
Senior Minister of State Mr Chee Hong Tat also participated in the “Dumplings Dash” telematch
The “Dumplings Dash” and “Dumplings on the Roll” onsite telematches are well loved by both children and adults
The Duan Wu Carnival, now in its 13th edition, has been held since 2011. Building upon the success of last year, this year’s carnival continued its integration of online and physical elements while expanding the scale of the event with more exciting activities. Last year’s event attracted some 500 visitors, and this year’s participation witnessed a one-fold increase, with an impressive total of 1000 participants.
The 2023 Duan Wu Carnival is proudly supported by the National Integration Council, Singapore Clan Foundation, Cultural Matching Fund, Toa Payoh Central Community Club, Life Art Society and Singapore Amoy Association.
