Immersive AR game, spooky storytelling & more at Hungry Ghost Festival event in CBD from Aug. 13 to Sep. 10

We all grew up hearing warnings about the Hungry Ghost Festival (or Zhongyuan Festival): don't swim during the seventh month, don't stay out too late, and don't step on offerings left by the roadside.

Beyond these familiar beliefs, the Zhongyuan Festival is a time when many Chinese Singaporeans honour their ancestors, offer prayers, and make ritual offerings to wandering spirits. These practices are believed to help ensure their ancestors' peaceful passage in the afterlife while appeasing hungry ghosts.

Throughout the month, believers burn incense and joss paper, prepare food offerings, while communities organise getai performances to entertain the spirits.

Now, these age-old traditions are being showcased in ways both old and new. The Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre (SCCC) is launching its inaugural Zhongyuan Festival event from Aug. 13 to Sep. 10, where you can find a diverse lineup of programmes to learn about the festival's rich cultural heritage through interactive and contemporary experiences.

Little Ghost Explorer

Visitors can discover the history, traditions and customs of Zhongyuan Festival through the Little Ghost Explorer augmented reality (AR) game, guided by the character Xiaogui. There will also be game-based challenges that encourage participants to explore different stations around SCCC, uncovering the festival's customs and beliefs through interactive activities on their mobile devices.

Mr Zhou’s Ghost Stories

If you enjoy a good spooky story, you are in for a treat. LOVE 972 DJ Dennis Chew will bring his well-known “Mr Zhou's Ghost Stories” to audiences through an exclusive podcast and vidcast. Beyond the thrills, the programme also offers a deeper look into the festival's traditions while exploring themes of remembrance and filial piety.

A Banquet for Hungry Ghosts: Egg Fried Rice

This 20-minute animated short is the opening course of “A Banquet for Hungry Ghosts”, an upcoming anthology of animated horror tales featuring iconic Chinese dishes inspired by betrayal, vengeance, and forgotten sins, from the award-winning team behind “The Violinist”.

Set in 1920s Shanxi, “Egg Fried Rice” transforms one of the world’s simplest and most beloved dishes into a macabre tale of love, loss, greed and supernatural retribution.

Date and Time

Aug. 29 (ticket sales starts on Jul. 29)

Price

S$3

Language

Mandarin with English subtitles

Happy Sing-Along (Zhongyuan Special)

Think getai, but with a modern twist. SCCC’s popular “Happy Sing-Along” presents a special Zhongyuan Festival edition, transforming the event into a lively getai-inspired banquet. Set across 80 tables in traditional jiak tok (banquet-style), visitors can tuck into a feast while enjoying nostalgic Mandarin and dialect hits.

More details here.

Zhongyuan Festival 2026 at SCCC

While you may still associate the seventh month with spirits and superstitions, experiencing these activities at SCCC might just let you learn something new about the Zhongyuan Festival.

Beneath the spooky stories and age-old taboos lies a rich history and fascinating cultural traditions that continue to bring communities together today.

Address: Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre, 1 Straits Blvd, Singapore 018906

Date and time: Aug. 13 to Sep. 10, 2026

More details here.

This branded article made the writer feel less scared about the Zhongyuan Festival.