10-14 May: Tua Pek Kong Festival

On the fourth month of the Lunar calendar, when the moon is full, Pulau Ubin bursts with celebrations!

Wayang shows go on during the day and night!

For six days and six nights, the birthday of Tua Pek Kong is honoured with colourful festivities. Ubin Jetty is decked out in colourful flags and lanterns, and Ubin Town is host to lavish rituals. The ancient Wayang Stage at Ubin Town comes alive with traditional opera in glittering costumes as well as more modern vibrant celebrations. Pilgrims and worshippers make their way to Ubin to celebrate.

The Tua Pek Kong Festival is organised by the Pulau Ubin Fo Shan Ting Da Bo Gong Temple.


Thanks to Mohammad Juhari for sharing the Programme for the Tua Pek Kong Festival 2017

And thanks to Victor Yue for the translation of the programme.

Ubin Tua Pek Kong Festival 9-14 May 17

4M14 9 May 17
10am: Invite Tua Pek Kong to temple
1pm: Prayer Ritual starts
3pm: Taoist Ritual (Part 1)
7pm: Taoist Ritual (Part 2)
7pm: Sin Sin Yong Hua Teochew Opera
10pm: Invite Jade Emperor

4M15 10 May 17
10am: Prayer starts
1pm: Lion and Dragon Dance
2.30pm: Distribution of offerings
3.30pm: Sending off Jade Emperor
7pm: Sin Sin Yong Hua Opera
7.30pm: Crossing the Ping An Bridge
8pm: Wei Tuo Da Gong Da Er Ye Bo visit

4M16 11 May 17
7pm: Sin Sin Yong Hua Opera

4M17 12 May 17
7pm: Sin Sin Yong Hua Opera

4M18 13 May 17
7pm: Sin Sin Yong Hua Opera
7.30pm: Tai Zi Gong Wu Dian Er Ye Bo visits

4M19 14 May 17
10am: Sin Sin Yong Hua Opera Singing
6pm: Getai
10.30pm: Sending Tua Pek Kong back

9 May 17 to 14 May 17
6.30pm - 10pm, Ferry from Changi to Ubin and Ubin to Changi is free of charge

Booklet on the Tua Pek Kong Festival

Specially for Pesta Ubin, the Singapore Heritage Society provides a wonderful booklet to help visitors understand the Tua Pek Kong Festival better! In English (below) as well as Chinese (download here)!

Tua Pek Kong Festival: A Brief Guide by the Singapore Heritage Society from Ria Tan

Travel advisory!

The Tua Pek Kong Festival, as usual, coincides with Vesak Day. This year, Vesak Day falls on 10 May (Wed). Many pilgrims for the Tua Pek Kong festival plus the long weekend crowd is expected to result in more visitors to Ubin. So be prepared for travel delays: longer queues for the bumboats. And a parking crunch at Changi Village. Especially 8am onwards for travel from Changi to Ubin; and noon onwards for travel from Ubin to Changi, with peak congestion near sunset.

Dates: 10-14 May
Venue: Ubin Town, 3 min walk from Ubin Jetty (map).
Websites:
Singapore Heritage Society: http://www.facebook.com/sgheritage/
Pulau Ubin Fo Shan Ting Da Bo Gong Temple facebook page
Facebook event for the Tua Pek Kong Festival 2017.

No charge, the activity is free!
No registration required. Simply come to Pulau Ubin and experience the celebrations!

Wayang happens in the daytime during the festival, while island life goes on as usual.

Evening wayang at Pulau Ubin is magical!

What happened...

Check out the latest happenings on the Facebook Tua Pek Kong Festival Event page set up by Victor Yue

Singapore Heritage Society volunteers were at Ubin Jetty to share pamphlets about the Festival with visitors!

Photos by 乌敏岛佛山亭大伯公庙 Pulau Ubin Fo Shan Ting Da Bo Gong Temple on facebook.

Photos happenings on 10 May by Ng Jing Rou:

The four days of celebrations concluded with the Tua Pek Kong dinner and getai!
Check out the photos by MJ Mohammad:


And more photos by Chen Xi.