Surrounded by waters that have long linked us to distant shores, Singapore is defined by the confluence of trade routes, peoples, and cultures. Soon, vibrant tales of connection will ripple across the Bras Basah.Bugis (BBB) precinct, as the Singapore Night Festival (SNF) 2025 invites all to dive into our rich island heritage and rediscover the ties that continue to flow through the city. 

The 16th edition of Singapore’s largest nocturnal experience returns from 22 August to 6 September 2025. It marks its first year under the helm of HeritageSG (HSG), a subsidiary of the National Heritage Board that brings heritage to life through thoughtful, curated experiences. Set against the backdrop of the 60th anniversary of Singapore’s independence, SNF 2025 is themed Island Nights and illuminates Singapore’s heritage as an island nation. Through fascinating stories of belonging, exchange, and connectivity, SNF 2025 will show how our role as a bridge between nations, cultures, and communities has shaped the island we call home. 

Three weekends of discovery await festival-goers, with a robust line-up of experiences that allow diverse audiences to encounter Singapore’s island heritage in fresh and meaningful ways. These include festival favourites such as captivating projection mapping artworks and Night Lights installations, innovative experiential programmes, and buzzing festival villages with food and retail offerings. 

Reflecting HSG’s commitment to enriching Singapore’s creative industries and communities, SNF 2025 features new initiatives, such as the third edition of The Listening Biennial and the ALIGHT (A Southeast Asian Light Network) Conference, where local and international artists, stakeholders, and the public can gather, collaborate, and exchange knowledge. Through these efforts, HSG reaffirms SNF’s crucial role in nurturing a sustainable ecosystem that thrives year-round. 

This year, festival-goers are in for a treat with not one, but two highlight experiences that reimagine familiar spaces in the precinct. Cathay Green will be adorned with larger-than-life inflatable arches that respond to the movement of the crowd with a dynamic symphony of colour and sound. Titled Sky Castle, this interactive installation by Australian art and technology studio ENESS evokes the joy that rainbows bring after every storm, carrying a message of hope and renewed beginnings after hardship.

On the other side of the precinct, discover a calm oasis in the heart of the bustling city with Kampong Chill by artist duo Yok & Sheryo. Nestled at Capitol Singapore, this experience creates a charming pavilion optimised for relaxation. Festival-goers are invited to unwind with unique workshops that capture the essence of island life in Singapore. 

Returning this year are SNF’s hallmark projection mapping installations, set to bathe two historic landmarks in breathtaking light art. Local and international artists will cast their interpretations of Island Nights across these grand canvases. 

Festival-goers can witness the iconic façade of the National Museum of Singapore lit up with MOSAIC, a breathtaking creation by French artist and projection mapping pioneer Jérémie Bellot. This installation invites onlookers on a voyage through celestial constellations and historical cartographies, reflecting on navigation and island exploration in the region. Through the artful integration of kebaya and batik motifs, MOSAIC also commemorates 60 years of Singapore’s diplomatic ties with France. 

CHIJMES will also feature captivating projection mapping works by four local female artists: Adeline Kueh, HAFI, KangLi, and Tororo.aoi. These works represent the culmination of their training in the third edition of SNF’s Projection Mapping Masterclass – an SNF capability-building programme which trains local visual artists in projection mapping – which was led by Filamen, a Malaysia-based new media art collective specialising in projection mapping. 

Night Lights will continue to enliven the BBB precinct at SNF 2025, inviting festival-goers to experience familiar spaces anew through six luminous installations by local and regional artists at Armenian Street, Bugis+, Funan, the National Design Centre, Plaza Singapura, and Raffles City Singapore.

SNF 2025 invites festival-goers to drift between spaces with an exciting line-up of roving performances and live stages, such as the signature LED light performances of Starlight Alchemy; the popular Our Songs, Our Stories: A Community Singalong of Xinyao and Folk Music, which returns with an expanded repertoire featuring beloved campus folk songs; Ombak Potehi, a Penang-based puppet theatre group that is revolutionising the Hokkien potehi puppet theatre art form; and local theatre company Paper Monkey Theatre, who will be staging a puppetry adaptation of a classic novel. 

SNF 2025 collaborates once more with the Singapore Management University (SMU) to host SMU Arts Fest: 2560 at SMU Campus Green. Beyond the central hub, two satellite Festival Villages await: Paradise Island at Armenian Street and Retro District at Bugis Street Art Lane, which is new for SNF 2025. Each village offers a space with distinct, vibrant experiences. 

Happening in conjunction with SNF 2025, look out for collaborations with the Bras Basah.Bugis Precinct, with highlights such as The Listening Biennial, an international event that focuses on listening as a creative practice located at venues across the BBB precinct.  

In addition, SNF 2025 will host the inaugural ALIGHT (A Southeast Asian Light Network) Conference in Singapore, bringing together the minds shaping Southeast Asia’s light art scene. Happening on 21 August 2025, participants can look forward to a series of talks and workshops about this innovative art form. 

BBB’s National Day Activations will set SNF 2025 in motion from 1 August. This year, the celebration extends beyond the traditional illumination of historic buildings, with monuments and hidden spaces reimagined as experiential zones. Themed Celebrating Our Island, this expanded activation reflects on Singapore’s vibrant heritage on food, flora, fauna, place and culture, and casts a spotlight on Sungei Beras Bassa, a river that once nourished the nutmeg plantations of the BBB precinct. This year’s National Day Activations also marks its first collaboration with LASALLE College of the Arts and Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts. 

Qazim Karim, Festival Director of SNF 2025, HSG, said: “HeritageSG is thrilled to unveil SNF 2025 and invite everyone to celebrate Island Nights with us. For this edition, we delve deep into Singapore’s identity as an island nation across Bras Basah.Bugis, and explore our heritage of deep connections and cultural exchanges that continue to influence our way of life today. This year, we’re especially proud to introduce partnerships with The Listening Biennial and the ALIGHT Conference that elevate the festival beyond our signature displays to foster more impactful connections within our community.”

“As we mark Singapore’s 60th year of independence, we also recognise our artists, and reaffirm our commitment to innovation, collaboration, and nurturing the creative community here.”

Singapore Night Festival 2025 – Island Nights runs from 22nd August to 6th September 2025. The festival offers free admission, with select ticketed programmes available for purchase at heritage.sg/sgnightfest.