First Ever Peranakan Festival Launch at Orchard Singapore

For the first time ever, Peranakan Festival which runs over four weekends (27 – 28 May, 3 – 4 June, 10 – 11 June & 17 June) from 11am to 6pm will be held at Claymore Connect in Orchard Road Singapore. You will have the chance to immerse yourself into the fascinating world of the Straits Chinese community and be entertained by performances, art and craft workshops, exhibitions and cooking classes! That is not all, you will also get to savour a sumptuous high tea at Claymore Connect and The Peranakan Restaurant like a true blue Peranakan!

These Joget Joget weekends highlight the Peranakan love for dancing. At the festival, you will get to watch Dondang Sayang, a traditional love ballad performance which Baba and Nonya singers engage in a witty, humorous exchange of Malay pantun (poetry).

Food lovers will be delighted by the showcase and free sampling of traditional desserts, cookies, sireh and betel nut. Folks who are keen on whipping up a Peranakan fare can sign up for cooking workshops which come with a personalised certificate and a recipe card for just $50. You will get to learn the secrets behind the hard-to-find Nasi Ulam, a delectable rice salad of raw herbs and vegetables, fried fish and salted fish, that have to be finely julienned and minced and takes hours to prepare.

One of the most popular item in the month-long programme would be the weekend Peranakan Joget Joget High Tea at The Peranakan Restaurant, where local favourites like mee siam, kueh pi tee and nasi ulam accompanied by Malacca kopi-o and Malacca milk tea will be served.

Your little ones are not forgotten. They can get into the Peranakan art and craft workshops like stamp carving, silk screen printing and book cover art, where they will be guided to create a Peranakan-inspired composition. There will also be a demonstration on how to make Bunga Rampai, a potpourri of fresh pandan leaves and flowers, traditionally used on special occasions.

There will also be exhibitions of Peranakan culture and art which highlight the community’s heritage. One of which is the game of cherki played by Nyonyas in the past. This popular card game, which originated from Malacca, was usually accompanied by gossip around the table, swapping recipes and chewing betel nut.

Show reels of Peranakans of yesteryear will be used to form a visual backdrop to the event. You and your loved ones can have fun dressing up in Nonya or Baba traditional costume and taking their photo in front of different photo walls around the mall. Traditional kebayas can be rented at just $30 for the photo opportunity. There is also a set of spectacular traditional wedding garments for rental for photo-taking opportunities. Folks who would like to own a piece of intricate Peranakan costume, specially designed kebayas, sarongs, kerosang (brooches) and kasut manek (beaded slippers) are available for sale during the festival.

Take home some Peranakan flavour by picking up nonya kueh chang, traditional cookies, furniture, porcelain and batik tablecloths. You may also purchase crystal glassware, sarong kebayas and antique furniture originally used in Peranakan households in the 1920s.

Besides merry making, the festival is also committed to including those who are less privileged. On Saturday, 3 June, the second weekend of the festival, 100 elderly folks and 35 children from Redhill neighbourhood Lengkong Bahru will be invited to visit the festival and enjoy high tea at The Peranakan Restaurant. This effort is in conjunction with volunteer group saturdays@lengkongbahru . On 4 June (Sunday), 100 beneficiaries from Prison Fellowship Singapore will also be hosted for high tea.

The Peranakan Festival:

Date: 7 – 28 May, 3 – 4 June, 10 – 11 June & 17 June 2017 | Time: 11am to 6pm | Venue: Claymore Connect, 442 Orchard Road, Singapore 238879 | Admission: Free admission to exhibitions. (Workshops, high tea and Peranakan costume rental are chargeable) | Workshop Tickets: tpfestival.peatix.com | Website: www.theperanakanfestival.com | Facebook: The Peranakan Festival |Tel: +65 6262 4728

Please see the programme highlights below:

Reserve your weekends to experience the authentic Peranakan culture in Singapore!