SET SAIL INTO THE STORIES AND COMMUNITIES SHAPING SINGAPORE’S MARITIME HERITAGE AT SINGAPORE HERITAGEFEST 2026
Singapore HeritageFest presents over 100 programmes spanning cultural performances, guided trails, water and land tours, workshops and exhibitions to celebrate Singapore’s enduring connection to the sea and its journey as a global maritime hub.
Singapore HeritageFest (SHF) returns from 1 to 24 May 2026, celebrating Singapore’s rich maritime heritage with over 100 programmes across the island. Now in its 23rd edition and organised for the first time by HeritageSG (HSG), a subsidiary of the National Heritage Board (NHB), the festival brings to life the stories, trades, and communities that shaped our historic waterways and continue to define our island identity today.
Qazim Karim, SHF 2026 Festival Director said, “Singapore’s story is inseparable from the sea. From bustling ports and thriving trades to the communities who lived and worked along our shores, our maritime heritage is a living legacy that continues to shape our identity today. As a steward of Singapore’s cultural and heritage ecosystem, SHF brings together partners across communities to present collaborative programmes that explore maritime heritage from multiple perspectives, deepening public engagement with our shared histories. Through these experiences, we invite everyone to journey through our maritime past and celebrate the shared heritage that connects us all.”
SHF 2026 comes alive through the passion and creativity of over 100 community partners and heritage practitioners, presenting programmes that range from innovative reimaginings of port life to hands-on encounters with age-old seafaring traditions. Returning supporters include YHS Singapore (Yeo’s) as SHF‘s Official Partner for the third consecutive year, and Stellar Ace, marking their sixth consecutive year as Official Sponsor. New community partners, including Aroma Nostalgia, Kebon Dapor, Thong Siek Global, Singapore Navy Museum and more, add fresh perspectives to the line-up, offering festival-goers even more ways to explore Singapore’s maritime heritage and its continued relevance.
A festival highlight, HOMEGROUND @ ACM Green, brings visitors closer to Singapore’s maritime heritage through exhibitions, performances, and workshops celebrating the importance of our roots. In conjunction with its 30th anniversary, the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) will present a series of programmes including guided tours, vessel visits, and maritime-themed trails.
Dive into Singapore’s rich maritime heritage
This year, festival-goers can embark on a captivating journey through Singapore’s maritime past, exploring how trade, migration, beliefs and practices, and naval history have shaped the island we know today. Some highlights include:
- New SHF programmes
○ Journey across time and immerse yourself in the lively tales of the 1930s to today with Port of Dreams, a roving theatrical experience set against the backdrop of The Fullerton Bay Hotel and historic Clifford Pier.
○ Sail down the river that brings us life at A Bump Through Time, SHF‘s first-ever theatrical bumboat experience, where festival-goers discover the Singapore River anew through interactive encounters along Clarke Quay and Marina Bay, revealing how trade, migration and storytelling shaped this vibrant crossroads of cultures.
○ Unearth Southeast Asia’s seafaring past at SHIPPED: Memoirs from Our Maritime World By ArCH Square, a special showcase of maritime archaeology featuring submerged treasures and underwater discoveries.
○ Feel the rhythms of the sea at Culture Beats @ CapitaLand, a high-energy maritime-themed music showcase at Bugis+ and CQ @ Clarke Quay, featuring dynamic percussion, movement and multicultural sounds.
○ Dance through time with DJ-spun contemporary hits and maritime beats in Wave & Rave at RASA Space, where sounds are inspired by the diverse cultures that shaped our island and its seafaring past.
○ Gain deeper insights into Singapore’s maritime past with a lecture series, in collaboration with the National Library Board, featuring expert talks on how trade routes, port life, and migration shaped the island’s growth and cultural landscape.
- Uncover the stories behind Singapore’s bustling ports and global trade
○ Get an insider’s look at one of the world’s busiest ports, in Unlocking Singapore’s Port Legacy: A Behind-the-Scenes Maritime Journey, an exclusive experience that starts at MPA’s Singapore Maritime Gallery and features a rare bus tour into PSA Singapore’s container terminals, including those in the city centre that will be decommissioned by 2027, and Pasir Panjang Terminals.
○ Get a glimpse into the craft of spice-making with Spice to Meet You! Stories from The Spice Maker, as Anthony The Spice Maker shares how his family’s spice trade began and evolved across generations.
○ Step into Singapore’s last remaining fishery port in Jurong with Fish to Port – Fishery Port Tour by Pasar Fish, a behind-the-scenes tour showing how fresh seafood makes its way from dock to table.
○ Learn about the rich legacy of the spice trade with The Fullerton Heritage Spice Trail By the Fullerton Hotel, an exclusive walking tour that reveals how the spice routes shape our port city’s identity.
○ Follow the journey of a cocoa bean across oceans to become the world’s finest chocolate in A Cocoa Bean Adventure: Discover the Wonders of Global Trade by ONE, a lively picture book reading of Jean-Pierre Travels the Seven Seas, where young audiences can also take part in an onsite art contest.
- Trace the voyages that brought people, cultures, and flavours to Singapore
○ Discover how port life shaped what we eat today and the rise of street hawkers on a family-friendly trail with From Port to Plate by Chewy Collective, complete interactive missions, and finish with a hands-on craft experience inspired by Singapore’s enduring hawker culture.
○ Craft your own popiah at the Kway Guan Huat Joo Chiat Popiah Workshop, learning key techniques and ingredient secrets from local makers while exploring how this beloved delicacy reflects generations of cultural exchange and shared food traditions.
○ Blend your own perfume in Scents of the Nusantara: Perfume-Making Workshop by Aroma Nostalgia, using resins, woods, florals, and spices carried across Southeast Asian ports to craft a fragrance shaped by shared histories.
○ Experience the rhythm of the expressive Indian classical dance form of Kathakali in Cherita Singapura by Bhaskar’s Arts, a performance retelling the fabled sea voyage of Sang Nila Utama and the naming of Singapore.
○ Discover Singapore’s coastal heritage through all five senses at Tastes of the Tides: Laksa Siglap by Changi Chapel and Museum‘s, as you see, smell and touch traditional ingredients to recreate the rare, rich flavours of Singapore’s coastal kampongs.
- Experience the beliefs and practices that shaped maritime life
○ Embark on the Mazu Heritage Tour: Goddess of the Sea An ICH Journey Through Singapore’s Maritime Past, an immersive trail from Thian Hock Keng Temple to traditional wooden vessels, uncovering how maritime beliefs anchored early settlers and continue to shape Singapore today.
○ Venture into Singapore’s last kampong with Haunting Tales of Ubin by Supernatural Confessions, an immersive night tour exploring the island’s beliefs, practices, and the captivating human stories behind its hauntings.
○ Join the folk extravaganza in Tides of Heritage by ATAM, where diverse multicultural folk arts groups use music, dance, stagecraft, and storytelling to bring to life Singapore’s connection to the sea.
○ Discover the meanings behind traditional batik motifs like clouds and waves, once used by seafarers across Southeast Asia, and stamp your own maritime story-cloth to take home at Woven Waves: Reading Stories in Batik by Children’s Museum Singapore
○ Join Tied to the Tides by Reflections at Bukit Chandu for a hands-on family adventure learning more about the coastal fishing traditions and the kelongs that once shaped life along our shores.
- Chart the course and celebrate Singapore’s naval history
○ Join Navy Day 2026 – A celebration of the 59th anniversary of the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN), featuring base windshield tours, guided museum visits, live performances, and interactive sharing sessions.
○ Step back in time with Battleships and Bunkers by Hidden Heritage, a guided walk exploring Sembawang’s coastal and naval history, from kampong life and long-lost shorelines to wartime defences and naval life.
Return of festival favourites
A signature SHF offering, HOMEGROUND returns as a vibrant marketplace reflecting how early migrants and their journeys shaped the nation. Set against the historic waterfront at the ACM, HOMEGROUND @ ACM Green brings together exhibitions, workshops, craft showcases and performances taking place on Fridays and Saturdays throughout the festival period. Anchoring the festival’s highlight experience is the HOMEGROUND exhibition on maritime and migration. The exhibition is designed by local illustrator and visual artist HAFl, and it opens on 24 April. Festival-goers can expect new experiences at HOMEGROUND @ ACM Green each weekend, and can follow SHF‘s social channels to discover the latest offerings and plan their next visit.
Another signature SHF programme, Ride & Discover, returns to bring maritime heritage into the rhythms of daily life, transforming daily commutes into moments of discovery. By turning MRT stations and transit spaces into accessible heritage touchpoints, the activation meets people where they are, offering interactive panels, immersive displays, and bite-sized insights revealing the journeys, exchanges, and connections behind Singapore’s maritime story.
SHF 2026 mascot, Pitta the migratory bird, will also make surprise appearances across the island. Festival-goers are invited to keep their eyes peeled on their commute and snap a photo to share on Instagram with @sgheritagefest, #SGHeritageFest, #SHF2026 and #ISeaYou for a chance to win and redeem a limited-edition SHF keepsake at HOMEGROUND.
SHF 2026 programmes will be open for registration from 22 April 2026, 12pm. Members of the public may visit here for more information on the programmes, and how to register.
#SGHeritageFest
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