Dumpling Festival, also known as Dragon Boat Festival, is an important festival celebrated by Chinese communities around the world. Wan Qing Dumpling Festival 2017 presents an exciting weekend of offerings including dumpling making sessions, craft workshops, outdoor movie screenings and evening music performances ranging from the traditional to the contemporary. Join us at Wan Qing Dumpling Festival 2017 to learn more about the history and cultural significance of this widely celebrated festival!

Dumpling Hunt
Use the clues provided to find the dumplings hidden around the Memorial Hall, and win a prize! 

Date: 27 – 28 May
Time: 10am – 9.30pm
Venue: Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall Reception Area

Exhibition Opening Ceremony & Performances
Catch a traditional Beijing Opera performance and energetic The Days of Drums performance performance by students from Dunman High School and Chung Cheng High School (Yishun).
Activities are free. No registration required.

Date: 27 May
Time: 1.30pm – 2.00pm
Venue: Lawn

Fringe Activities
From close-up magic to face-painting and calligraphy, there’s something for everyone at Wan Qing Dumpling Festival 2017. Collect your activity passport at our Reception Desk and try your hand at our activities booths to win exclusive prizes!
Activities are free. No registration required.

Date: 27 – 28 May
Time: 11am – 5pm

Mini Dragon-boat Racing
Race to the finish line at this interactive game booth that pays homage to the origins of Dumpling Festival (also known as Dragon Boat Festival). 

Face-painting 
Choose from a range of funky motifs and patterns at this fun activity booth that’s sure to be a hit with little ones. 

Bottle Gourd Calligraphy
Partake in this traditional activity to get a personalized souvenir keychain in the form of a miniature Chinese gourd. 

Photo-booth
Play dress-up with fun props and replicas of traditional children’s clothing from the Qing dynasty at this instant photobooth. Don’t forget to visit the Memorial Hall’s special exhibition, Stitches of Love: Hidden Blessings in Children’s Clothing and Accessories after! 

Roving Magician
Be enthralled by close-up magic tricks performed by the Memorial Hall’s roving magician. 
Time: 2pm – 8pm

Snack Booths
What’s a festival without some yummy treats? Feast on these traditional local delights while exploring our various activities.
No registration required.

Dumpling-making
Learn to make glutinous rice dumplings the traditional way at the Memorial Hall this Dumpling Festival. Stuff, wrap and tie your own dumplings, and be treated to delicious bak zhang.
Time: 11am – 5pm

Kacang Puteh
Savour a taste of local tradition and curate your very own kacang puteh from a range of sweet and savoury nuts. Perfect for enjoying during the outdoor movie screenings and evening performances! 

Ice Cream
What better way to combat the heat than with an icy cold treat? Recognizable by their colourful umbrellas and metal carts, these mobile ice-cream vendors – affectionately known as Ice Cream Uncles – are a nostalgic throwback to the street food culture of early Singapore.

MUSEUM LABEL Pop-up Shop
Indulge in life’s little pleasures with MUSEUM LABEL, the retail brand operated by National Heritage Board. Through vivid storytelling, relatable cultural experiences, and close collaborations with community and partners, MUSEUM LABEL gives life to our heritage through well-designed merchandise. Shop for quirky souvenirs and knick-knacks at MUSEUM LABEL’s exclusive pop-up shop!

Date: 27 – 28 May
Time: 11am – 9.30pm

Storytelling 
Do you know why we eat rice dumplings on the fifth day in the fifth month of every Lunar Calendar year? Explore the origins of Dumpling Festival at this special interactive storytelling session and learn more about the connection between rice dumplings and the patriotic historical figure, Qu Yuan.
Activity is free and will be conducted in Mandarin. No registration required.

Date: 27 – 28 May
Time: 3pm – 4pm
Venue: Gallery 4 (Level 2)

Pouch Embroidery Workshop
Fancy a personalized canvas pouch to store your knick-knacks? Get crafty with a range of iron-on embroidery patches inspired by the symbols and motifs of the Memorial Hall’s special exhibition, Stitches of Love – Hidden Blessings in Children’s Clothing and Accessories. 
Activity is free. Seated are limited to 45 participants per session. No registration required.

Date: 27 May
Time: 4.30pm – 5.30pm (first session); 6pm – 7pm (second session)
Venue: Little Paradise Room (Level 1)

Clay Dumpling Keychain Workshop 
Have fun sculpting a souvenir keychain in the form of a miniature rice dumpling, while learning more about the history and significance of the much-loved Dumpling Festival. 
Activity is free and for children only. Seated are limited to 45 participants per session. No registration required.

Date: 28 May
Time: 4.30pm – 5.30prm (first session); 6pm – 7pm (second session)
Venue: Little Paradise Room (Level 1)

Public Talks
Join our talks and learn more about the secret motifs embedded in children’s clothing and accessories from the late Qing to early Republican period!
Activity is free. Seats are available on a first-come, first-served basis. No registration required.
Venue: Little Paradise Room (Level 1)

Stitches of Love — Hidden Blessings in Children’s Clothing and Accessories (CHI)
Explore the colourful world of secret motifs and symbols on children’s clothing and accessories from the late Qing to early Republican period. Learn more about the collection of traditional children’s clothing and accessories in this sharing session conducted by the Memorial Museum of Generalissimo Sun Yat-sen’s Mansion.

Date: 27 May
Time: 7.30pm – 9pm

Blessings without Words: Hidden Meanings in Chinese Traditional Clothing and Accessories (ENG)
Traditional children’s clothing and accessories were often imbued with motifs symbolising blessings of good fortune, longevity and health for their wearer. Learn more about this symbolism on Chinese traditional clothing in this sharing session conducted by private collector, author and independent curator of Chinese decorative arts, Ms. Sally Yu.

Date: 28 May
Time: 10am – 11.30am

From Manchu to China Chic: Last Empress in Qipao (CHI)
Empress Wanrong (wife to Last Emperor Puyi) was known for her modernity and unerring sense of style in a qipao, a traditional gown donned by Chinese women. Learn more about the origins and modern day interpretation of the qipao in this sharing session conducted by private collector, author and independent curator of Chinese decorative arts, Ms. Sally Yu.

Date: 28 May
Time: 1.30pm – 3pm

Special Exhibition Guided Tour
Join our volunteer guides as they take you through the Memorial Hall’s special exhibition, Stitches of Love: Hidden Blessings in Children’s Clothing and Accessories! 
Activity is free and will be conducted in English and Mandarin. No registration required.

Date: 27 – 28 May
Time: 3.00pm (Mandarin); 4pm (English)
Venue: Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall Reception Area

Balestier Heritage & Food Trail
Uncover the history of Balestier and embark on the ever-popular Balestier Heritage & Food Trail to explore various heritage sites and sample delicious local delights along the way. 
Activity is free and will be conducted in English and Mandarin. Register here.

Date: 27 – 28 May
Time: 10.30am – 12pm
Venue: Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall Reception Area

Monument Tour
The Memorial Hall (former Sun Yat Sen Villa) is an important instrument in Dr. Sun Yat Sen’s revolution against the Qing imperial government. Explore the architectural story behind the villa and its role in the 1911 Revolution. 
Activity is free and will be conducted in English. Register here.

Date: 27 – 28 May
Time: 1.30pm - 2.30pm
Venue: Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall Reception Area

Outdoor Movie Screenings
Enjoy a movie under the stars – grab a seat on the lawn and catch outdoor screenings of the most popular films! 
Activity is free. No registration required.

Trolls
Date: 27 May
Time: 2.30pm 

Ip Man 3
Date: 27 May
Time: 4.30pm 

Xmen: Apocalypse
Date: 28 May
Time: 2.30pm 

The Crossing Part II
Date: 28 May
Time: 4.30pm

Evening Concert
Experience wonder and delight in this dynamic showcase of cultural and contemporary arts. From thrilling acrobatic performances to rockin’ ‘live’ bands and soothing instrumental performances, this is one concert that shouldn’t be missed.
Activities are free. No registration required.

Chinese Acrobatics, Chinese Musical Ensemble, NUS CAC Voices
Date: 27 May
Time: 7.30pm – 9.30pm

Chinese Acrobatics, Fete Musicians, NUS CAC Amplified
Date: 28 May
Time: 7.30pm – 9.30pm