Mid-Autumn Festival 2013 @ Gardens by the Bay

(Daddy blogs)

It's that time of year again, where kids light up their colourful lanterns (some accompanied with jarring techno music) and adults indulge in mooncakes. With the Mid-Autumn Festival falling on 19 September (Thursday) this year, it gives Gardens by the Bay the perfect excuse to transform itself into an enchanting display of flowers and lanterns. And my oh my, what a transformation indeed!

From 9 September to 6 October, the new Mid-Autumn themed floral display in the Flower Dome features three striking dragonfly lanterns perched amidst a field of vibrant flora such as "lantern flowers" like Begonias and autumn-blooms like Chrysanthemums, Astilbes and Celosias, while Chinese lanterns with traditional Chinese paper cuttings depicting various legends add to the festive ambience in the Flower Dome.

My all-time favourite floral display in the Flower Dome has got to be Tulipmania but this comes in at a close second. All of us loved the riot of colours and the scent of fresh flowers in the air.

And I highly suspect the SengkangBabies felt the same way too. :)

And what's a Mid-Autumn Festival without some lanterns? Even better if they are humongous!

If you want to soak in the Mid-Autumn festivities but only have time to visit ONE event, you and your family can never go wrong with the Mid-Autumn Festival @ The Gardens 2013! And the best part? It is ALL FREE for everyone!

Taking place at the outdoor gardens and The Meadow from 13 to 22 September 2013, be sure to be dazzled by the numerous fascinating lantern displays as the Gardens come alive when the sun goes down with elaborately crafted lantern set displays. Featuring exquisitely crafted lanterns depicting mythical and legendary characters, the displays provide an engaging and insightful perspective of Chinese traditions, arts and culture.

Be prepared to walk quite a fair bit though as the entire lantern displays stretches from one end at The Meadow right to the other end of Dragonfly Lake - yes, there are that many things to see! And to keep the kids entertained and busy along the way, be sure to task them with the mission of counting the number of green frogs throughout the Gardens, much like the one below.

Provide the correct answer of the total number of frogs and you might just walk away with hampers (worth $100 each) and dining vouchers ($50 each) from Sakae Sushi!

For me though, I absolutely fell in love with the huge kick-ass lantern displays on the lakes... like this Lantern of Dragons.

Equally mesmerizing was the floating House of Knowledge at Dragonfly Lake.

On the other hand, kids will go crazy at the Jurassic Park themed lantern display where the dinosaurs can even move and roar!

Another kids' favourite will be the at the World of Fairy Tales display, where they will be kept busy in trying to identify the various fairy tales that the lantern displays depict.

The wifey's personal fave though, was the long string of beautiful and elegant Sky Lanterns that dotted the perimeter of the lake. Visitors can also purchase a smaller version of the Sky Lantern and release them into the sky.

I was very impressed by the quality and diverse pick of the lantern displays at the Gardens. This was easily the best lantern display I have seen in my life. Ever. And I strongly recommend families to head down one of these nights to soak in every sight there. The kids will thank you for it, I'm sure!

Oh, and here is a final exhibition that is not to be missed if you are down at Gardens by the Bay - the Pandora 3D exhibition located at the Supertrees Grove area.

Presented by Keppel Club, this unique exhibition offers visitors a 3D experience as they admire exhibits built from recycling materials.

Visitors will have to don 3D glasses as they walk through a room filled with exhibits that are hand-made from 100% recycled materials by the staff of Keppel Club.

About 30 people are let into the room each time, so there may be a need to queue. But the duration of the walkthrough is relatively short so the turnaround time should be quite fast. But trust me, the wait will be totally worth it. The monkies were even reluctant to leave the room!

And while you are at Gardens by the Bay, why not take part in the 'Snap & Win' contest too? Just share an interesting photo by uploading it to Instagram with the following hashtags - #midautumnatgb and #gardensbythebay - and a unique caption. 3 lucky winners will each win a Gardens by the Bay memorabilia gift package worth $50!

Useful Information

Mid-Autumn Floral Display @ Flower Dome

Date: 9 Sep - 6 Oct 2013

Time: 9am - 9pm (Note: Conservatories will be opened till 11pm from 13-22 Sept)

*Admission charges to the Flower Dome applies.

*From 13 to 22 September 2013, enjoy 15% off admission rates to the Cooled Conservatories. Terms and conditions apply.

Mid-Autumn Festival @ The Gardens 2013

Beautifully crafted lanterns light up amidst the greenery at the “Mid-Autumn Festival @ The Gardens” jointly organised by the Chinese Newspapers Division of Singapore Press Holdings, People's Association and Gardens by the Bay. The event features elaborate lantern displays, cultural performances and Chinese delicacies.

BONUS: There will be a 3-min Fireworks display (mid-level) on 17th Sept (8:45pm) and 21st Sept (8pm) at the west mount of The Meadow too! 

Date: 13 Sep –  22 Sep 2013

Time: 6pm – 11pm (Mon – Fri), 3pm – 11pm (Sat & Sun)

Location: Bay South, Gardens by the Bay

Free admission

*More details HERE.