Chinese New Year 2027 Early Planner: Dates, Long Weekend and What to Expect

Dates and your long weekend

The Ministry of Manpower has gazetted the 2027 public holidays. Chinese New Year falls on Saturday 6 and Sunday 7 February, and because the second day lands on a Sunday, Monday 8 February is a public holiday too. That makes a three-day weekend.

• Fri 5 Feb: Chinese New Year's Eve, the usual day for the reunion dinner. It is not a public holiday, so check working hours with your employer.
  
• Sat 6 and Sun 7 Feb: The two days of Chinese New Year.
  
• Mon 8 Feb: Public holiday (in lieu of Sunday).
  
• Tue 9 Feb: MOE schools are closed as a day off-in-lieu, including student care centres, per the MOE calendar. Parents who rely on student care may need to make other plans.
  

Good to know: Term 1 of the 2027 school year runs from 4 January to 12 March, so the festive period sits early in the term.

Reunion dinners and traditions

The reunion dinner is the heart of Chinese New Year. According to the National Heritage Board, it is held on New Year's Eve, often at the home of the eldest family member, and symbolises family coming together. Many dishes carry auspicious meanings.

Other familiar customs in Singapore include spring cleaning before the festival, decorating with red spring couplets, and tossing yusheng together while saying auspicious phrases. Friends and colleagues of all backgrounds often join in the lo hei, which is part of what makes it such a shared Singapore tradition. On the first day, families visit relatives, bringing a pair of mandarin oranges, and married couples give red packets.

Practical tip: restaurants tend to fill up fast for reunion dinners, so booking early is usually advised. Some smaller or Chinese-owned shops may close on the first day, while many malls, hotels and attractions stay open.

What the 2026 celebrations looked like

Here is what was on last year, which is a helpful hint for the kind of events to watch out for. None of these are confirmed for 2027.

Chinatown. The street light-up ran from 30 January to 18 March 2026 (7pm to midnight), and the Festive Fair ran from 27 January to 17 February. There were also craft workshops, a lion dance competition ($10 per ticket per day) and a countdown party at Kreta Ayer Square.

River Hongbao. Held from 15 to 24 February 2026 at Gardens by the Bay. Admission was free, with lanterns, performances, a food street and fireworks. It was the festival's 40th edition.

Chingay. Chingay 2026 parade tickets started from $20 and were sold out, according to the Chingay website. Chingay@Heartlands brought performances to neighbourhoods, and Chingay On the Go popped up at MRT stations.

Malls and attractions. Several malls ran lion dances and festive markets, and Jewel Changi Airport had free lion dances.

Please do not rely on the 2026 dates for 2027, since each year's schedule moves with the festival dates. We will update this planner when the official programmes are out.

A simple early checklist

Note the dates: 6 to 8 February 2027 off, with school off on 9 February.
Book your reunion dinner or catering early, especially for Friday 5 February.
Decide if you want to take leave on 4 or 9 February for a longer break.
Follow the official pages of Chinatown organisers, River Hongbao (riverhongbao.sg) and Chingay (chingay.gov.sg) for announcements.
Check ticket needs and prices for each event, since they differ.
Do not assume last year's free or ticketed status will repeat.
Expect crowds at popular spots, especially in the evening.

Whether you are celebrating at home, joining the lion dance at a mall, or simply enjoying the long weekend, we hope the Year of the Goat starts well for you.