Lights by the Lake 2026 Singapore Jurong Lake Gardens: Schedule & Tips
A Night of Lanterns, Legends and Music at Jurong Lake Gardens
I've been to plenty of festivals in Singapore, but few have made me slow down the way Lights by the Lake did. The moment I stepped into the gardens, I stopped scrolling through my phone and just looked up.
Walking into a story
This year's theme is the Legend of the White Snake, an old Chinese tale of a snake spirit who falls in love with a human scholar. Five big lantern scenes stand across Lakeside Field, and you walk through them like pages of a book. They follow the rainy first meeting on a bridge, the quiet married life, the wine that gives away a secret, and the fight at Jinshan Temple. Each scene has a Chinese title and an English one, so you can read along as you go.
I'm not usually a lantern person, but these are huge. Up close you notice the small things: the folds in the silk, how the light shifts from warm gold to cool white. I caught myself smiling at children pointing and explaining the story to their grandparents, half right and half making it up. That was my favourite part of the night.
Three gardens, three moods
The festival is spread over Lakeside Garden, Chinese Garden and Japanese Garden, and each has its own feel.
Lakeside Garden is the loud, happy part. There's a food market, games and bouncy castles on weekends, and the smell of hot food follows you around. It feels like a neighbourhood party.
Chinese Garden is where I lingered longest. Moon-themed lanterns line the bridge and the ponds, including the moon goddess Chang'e and her Jade Rabbit. The Cloud Pagoda is the centrepiece. A light show called A Love That Endures Time plays there every 30 minutes from 7:30pm, with the last show at 10pm. Even after all the lanterns, watching the pagoda light up made me go quiet for a moment. On 21 September it turns yellow and purple for World Alzheimer's Day, which is a lovely touch.
Japanese Garden is calmer. Princess Kaguya's moon garden, glowing koi and lotus flowers made of light sit beside still water. If the other gardens are a party, this one is a deep breath.
The music
The stage at Ficus Lawn made the evening feel alive. Rockestra opens the festival on 19 September with Mandopop and English hits that people of every age seem to know. There were parents singing along, teenagers filming, and uncles quietly tapping their feet.
There's much more on the programme: LED lion dances, the Singapore Chinese Orchestra by the lake, buskers in the evenings, outdoor film screenings, and stargazing in the Japanese Garden. It's more than one evening can hold, so I'd pick two or three things and let the rest go. The full schedule is below.
Why it stayed with me
Mid-Autumn Festival is about family coming together under a full moon, and this year it falls on 25 September. Standing there, I thought about how rare it is to see so many people sharing a free, unhurried evening. No one was rushing. People had put their phones down, or at least lowered them, to see the lanterns with their own eyes.
I came to take photos. I left with a lighter head and a reminder that Singapore does quiet, beautiful things very well.
Full Programme Schedule
Lakeside Garden
Lantern & Light Displays
| Location | Programme | Date & Time |
|---|---|---|
| Lakeside Field (1) | The Spirit Awakens (千年化形) | Till 4 Oct 2026 |
| Lakeside Field (1) | The Fateful Encounter (断桥情缘) | Till 4 Oct 2026 |
| Lakeside Field (1) | A Mortal Life Together (人间相守) | Till 4 Oct 2026 |
| Lakeside Field (1) | The Realgar Wine Revelation (雄黄现形) | Till 4 Oct 2026 |
| Lakeside Field (1) | The Battle at Jinshan Temple (金山寺之战) | Till 4 Oct 2026 |
Performances & Screenings
| Location | Programme | Date & Time |
|---|---|---|
| Wave Plaza (3) | Cultural Showcases & Music Performances: ArtsEverywhere@CDC | 19 & 26 Sep (Saturdays), 6:30pm – 9:30pm |
| Wave Plaza (3) | Cultural Showcases & Music Performances: ART:DIS | 27 Sep, 7pm – 9pm |
| Wave Plaza (3) | Taman Jurong CACC Passion Arts Festival: Slow Threads | 19 & 20 Sep, 7pm – 9:30pm |
| Wave Plaza (3) | Mediacorp Lantern Trail (新传媒灯笼园游会) | 20 Sep, 6pm – 7pm |
Others
| Location | Programme | Date & Time |
|---|---|---|
| Lakeside Field (2) | Food Market | 19 – 27 Sep, 6:30pm – 11pm |
| Lakeside Field (2) | Bouncy Castles & Games by Families for Life | 19, 20, 26, 27 Sep (Weekends), 6:30pm – 10:30pm daily |
| Wave Plaza (3) | Roving Art Studio by National Gallery Singapore | 19, 20, 26, 27 Sep (Weekends), 6:30pm – 10:30pm |
| Wave Plaza (3) | Lantern Riddles | 21 – 25 Sep (Mon – Fri), 7pm – 9pm |
| Wave Plaza (3) | Night Dragonboat Tours by Passion Wave @ JLG | 26 Sep, 6pm – 10pm |
| Wave Plaza (3) | Craft Activities by Passion Wave @ JLG | 26 & 27 Sep, 3pm – 6pm |
Chinese Garden
Lantern & Light Displays
| Location | Programme | Date & Time |
|---|---|---|
| Chinese Garden Gate (4) | A Moonlit Reverie (月过中秋) | Till 4 Oct 2026 |
| White Rainbow Bridge (5) | Blossoms of Prosperity (花开富贵) | Till 4 Oct 2026 |
| Cleansing Biotope Ponds (8) | Moonlit Reunion (水上嫦娥) | Till 4 Oct 2026 |
| Cleansing Biotope Ponds (8) | Whispers of the Jade Rabbit (玉兔送福) | Till 4 Oct 2026 |
| Cloud Pagoda | The Reunion (情归团圆) | Lantern display |
| Cloud Pagoda (10) | Light Show: A Love That Endures Time | 19 – 27 Sep, 7:30pm – 10pm, every 30 mins (last show at 10pm) |
Note: Cloud Pagoda will light up in yellow and purple on 21 Sep in honour of World Alzheimer's Day.
Performances & Screenings
| Location | Programme | Date & Time |
|---|---|---|
| Grand Arch (6) | LED Lion Dances | 20 & 27 Sep (Sundays), 7:45pm & 8:45pm |
| Ficus Lawn (9) | NParks Concert Series in the Park: Rockestra® | 19 Sep, 6:30pm till late |
| Ficus Lawn (9) | DementiaSG Talk and Short Films Screening | 20 Sep, 7:40pm – 9:30pm |
| Ficus Lawn (9) | Mediacorp Screening: Lil Wild | 20 Sep, 7:30pm |
| Ficus Lawn (9) | Music Oasis by Singapore Chinese Orchestra (绿荫乐鸣系列音乐会@裕廊湖花园) | 26 Sep, 6:30pm – 7:30pm |
| Ficus Lawn (9) | Film Screening: Migration | 26 Sep, 8pm |
| Ficus Lawn (9) | Film Screening: The Wild Robot | 27 Sep, 7pm |
Others
| Location | Programme | Date & Time |
|---|---|---|
| Grand Arch (6) | Mid-Autumn Festival: A Taste of Reunion – Exhibition by Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall | 19 Sep – 4 Oct, all day |
| Grand Arch (6) | Wan Qing Yuan: A Journey Through History and Heritage – Exhibition by Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall | 19 Sep – 4 Oct, all day |
| Grand Arch (6) | Guided Tours of Edible Garden | 19, 20, 26 & 27 Sep (Weekends), 6pm – 7pm |
| Outdoor Kitchen (7) | Busking | 26 & 27 Sep, 7pm – 10pm |
| Pagoda Plaza (11) | Busking | 21 – 25 Sep, 7pm – 10pm |
| Tea Pavilion (12) | Storytelling Sessions: Tales of Mid-Autumn Festival by Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall | 20 & 27 Sep (Sundays), 6:45pm & 7:30pm |
| Around the Garden (12) | Xiao Qing's Special Delivery: Stamp Rally by Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall | 19 Sep – 4 Oct, all day |
| Bonsai Garden (13) | Wan Qing Mid-Autumn Festival by Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall | 19, 20, 25, 26, 27 Sep, 6:30pm – 9:30pm |
Japanese Garden
Lantern & Light Displays
| Location | Programme | Date & Time |
|---|---|---|
| Floral Garden (15) | Kaguya's Moon Garden (辉夜姬之圆月花园) | Till 4 Oct 2026 |
| Resthouse Pond (17) | Waters of Abundance (锦鲤送福) | Till 4 Oct 2026 |
| Sunken Garden (16) | Lotus in Bloom | Lantern & light display |
Performances & Screenings
| Location | Programme | Date & Time |
|---|---|---|
| Guesthouse (14) | Moonstruck 2026 – Watermarks of the Moon (水渍月印) by ARTS FISSION | 25 & 26 Sep, 7:15pm and 8:30pm |
Others
| Location | Programme | Date & Time |
|---|---|---|
| Resthouse (17) | Don't Play Play – The Games That Shape Us by National Heritage Board | 19 – 27 Sep, all day |
| Water Lily Pavilion (18) | Celestial Nights: Mid-Autumn Edition by Science Centre Singapore: Celestial Trail | 19 – 27 Sep |
| Water Lily Pavilion (18) | Celestial Nights: Mid-Autumn Edition by Science Centre Singapore: Moon Viewing and Stargazing | 25 & 26 Sep, 6:30pm – 10pm |
Before You Go
- Dates: 19 to 27 September for the full programme. Lanterns stay up until 4 October.
- Time: Lanterns light up from about 6:30pm to 10:30pm.
- Cost: Free.
- Getting there: Lakeside or Chinese Garden MRT stations on the East-West Line.
- Good to know: Open flames, candlelit lanterns and sparklers aren't allowed. Wear comfy shoes, because the three gardens cover a lot of ground. Weekday evenings are usually calmer than weekends.
- Programme times: They can change, so check the official pages below before you go.
Useful Websites
- Official festival site (NParks): https://lightsbythelake.nparks.gov.sg/about/
- Jurong Lake Gardens, Lights by the Lake page: https://juronglakegardens.nparks.gov.sg/lights-by-the-lake/
- Little Day Out, festival guide: https://www.littledayout.com/lights-by-the-lake-jurong-lake-gardens-mid-autumn-festival-lanterns-light-up/
- Everyday People SG, festival overview: https://everydaypeople.sg/lights-by-the-lake-2026/
- Sassy Mama SG, event listing: https://www.sassymamasg.com/event/lights-by-the-lake-jurong-lake-gardens/
- The New Age Parents, festival guide: https://thenewageparents.com/mid-autumn-festival-jurong-lake-gardens/
- By Kido, family guide: https://www.bykido.com/blogs/events-and-activities/lights-by-the-lake-2026-jurong-lake-gardens
- Little Big Red Dot, opening-night report: https://littlebigreddot.com/lights-by-the-lake-jurong-lake-gardens-opens-19-sep-2026/
If you have a spare evening before 4 October, go. Bring someone you like, and stay a little longer than you planned.
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