Hari Raya Aidilfitri in Singapore: Best Places to Celebrate

Key Takeaways

• Hari Raya Aidilfitri marks the end of Ramadan and is a public holiday in Singapore, with celebrations stretching across the full month of Syawal.
• Geylang Serai is the epicentre of the festivities — the Hari Raya light-up and Ramadan bazaar with 500+ stalls draw hundreds of thousands of visitors each year.
• Kampong Glam offers a heritage-rich alternative, anchored by Sultan Mosque, Arab Street's textile shops, and the lively Kampong Glam Ramadan Bazaar.
• Pesta Raya at the Esplanade — now in its 25th edition — showcases Malay theatre, music, and dance from across the Nusantara.
• Traditional Hari Raya food, from ketupat and beef rendang to ondeh-ondeh and kek lapis, is reason enough to time your visit around the festival.

Hari Raya Aidilfitri in Singapore falls in March or April each year — 21 March in 2026 — and the best places to celebrate include the Geylang Serai precinct for its Ramadan bazaar and light-up, Kampong Glam for heritage landmarks like Sultan Mosque and Arab Street, and the Esplanade for Pesta Raya performances. The festive atmosphere extends citywide, with traditional food, cultural events, and open houses welcoming visitors of all backgrounds.

Picture this: you step out of Paya Lebar MRT station at dusk, and the entire stretch of Sims Avenue is glowing. Hundreds of decorative arches line the road, the scent of freshly grilled satay drifts from a nearby stall, and families in matching baju kurung weave through a bazaar with over 500 vendors. This is Geylang Serai during Ramadan — and it is one of the most electric scenes in Singapore's festival calendar.

Most international visitors plan Singapore trips around Chinese New Year or the F1 Grand Prix. Fewer realise that Hari Raya Aidilfitri in Singapore produces some of the city's most vibrant cultural moments: open houses where anyone is welcome, a month-long bazaar that runs past midnight, and entire neighbourhoods transformed by light installations and live performances.

This guide covers where to go, what to eat, and how to take part — whether you are a first-time visitor or a returning traveller looking to experience a different side of Singapore.

Geylang Serai — The Heart of Hari Raya Celebrations in Singapore

If you only visit one neighbourhood during the festive season, make it Geylang Serai. This historic Malay precinct has been the centre of Hari Raya celebrations in Singapore for generations, and during Ramadan it transforms into a cultural marketplace that stays lively well past midnight.

The Hari Raya Light-Up

Every year, the streets around Wisma Geylang Serai are draped in elaborate light installations stretching along Sims Avenue and Changi Road. The 2026 light-up ceremony was held on 14 February, with decorations illuminated nightly through 30 March. The theme for 2026 — "We Celebrate Together" — reflects Singapore's approach to making Hari Raya a shared occasion across communities.

• Location: Sims Avenue and Changi Road, between Paya Lebar and Eunos MRT stations
• Light-up hours: 7 pm – 12 am daily, extended to 2 am on Fridays and Saturdays
• Best time to visit: Weekday evenings between 7 pm and 9 pm for smaller crowds; weekends are busier but more atmospheric
• Cost: Free

The Ramadan Bazaar at Wisma Geylang Serai

The Geylang Serai Ramadan Bazaar is Singapore's largest and most iconic festive market. In 2026, it ran for 36 days from 14 February to 21 March, with more than 500 stalls split across food and retail sections. Every F&B stall is required to be halal-certified, Muslim-owned, or approved by a halal certification consultant.

The food section is the main draw. You will find traditional favourites like Ramly burgers, otah-otah grilled in banana leaves, vadai, and biryani alongside modern street food like crispy kunafa, gourmet loaded fries, and Dubai-style kunafa cookies. Mahmud's Tandoor, a Kampong Glam restaurant favourite, typically runs a pop-up stall here with its signature OG burger (from SGD 12/~USD 9) and loaded chicken masala fries (from SGD 7.50/~USD 5.50).

The retail section spans traditional Hari Raya clothing for men, women, and children, decorative fairy lights, wall decor, carpets, and festive goodies like kuih raya biscuit boxes. A standout attraction in 2026 was Solace Studios' kampung-themed photo booth — eight rooms styled as nostalgic village scenes, ideal for Hari Raya family photos (SGD 10/~USD 7.50 for two photo strips).

Live Performances and Cultural Events

The bazaar is not just about food and shopping. A stage area near the retail section hosts performances throughout the festive period, with a lineup that typically includes local and regional Malay artistes. In 2026, the opening ceremony featured acts such as Eiss, Elfee R Ismail, Nana Karia, and Malaysian star Jaclyn Victor. Evening performances run most nights and are free to attend.

Kampong Glam — Heritage, Shopping, and Hari Raya Culture

While Geylang Serai draws the biggest crowds, Kampong Glam offers a quieter, more heritage-focused way to experience Hari Raya Aidilfitri in Singapore. This precinct has served as the centre of Singapore's Malay-Muslim community since the early 19th century, and its streets retain a distinct cultural character year-round — amplified during the festive season.

Sultan Mosque (Masjid Sultan)

Sultan Mosque is Singapore's most recognisable mosque, with its golden dome visible from several blocks away. Built in the 1820s and reconstructed in the 1930s, the mosque accommodates thousands of worshippers for Hari Raya morning prayers. During the Hari Raya period, it is also open to respectful visitors who want to view the architecture and learn about its history.

• Location: 3 Muscat Street, Kampong Glam, Singapore 198833
• Nearest MRT: Bugis (East-West/Downtown line), 5-minute walk
• Visiting hours for non-worshippers: Generally 10 am – 12 pm and 2 pm – 4 pm (Fridays: 2.30 pm – 4 pm); check the mosque's website before visiting during Hari Raya as timings may change
• Dress code: Modest clothing required — knees and shoulders must be covered; robes are available at the entrance for visitors who need them

Arab Street and Haji Lane

Arab Street, running alongside Sultan Mosque, is the go-to destination for Hari Raya shopping. Textile stores here sell high-quality fabrics for traditional outfits — silk, songket, and hand-dyed batik — alongside Persian carpets, handcrafted lamps, and Middle Eastern perfumes. If you are looking for baju kurung or baju Melayu fabric, this is where many Singaporean families have shopped for decades.

Haji Lane, one street over, has a different energy. This narrow lane is lined with independent boutiques, vintage shops, and street art murals, alongside cafés serving everything from Turkish coffee to matcha lattes. During the festive season, the area sees increased foot traffic and occasional pop-up bazaar stalls.

Kampong Glam Ramadan Bazaar

Kampong Glam hosts its own Ramadan bazaar each year, distinct from Geylang Serai in scale and character. The 2026 edition featured rows of F&B and retail vendors with a focus on artisanal and independent brands. What sets this bazaar apart is its programming — live performances by artists like Alyph, Tenxi, and Fariz Jabba, plus a workshop zone with activities including Arabic alphabet classes and storytelling sessions for children.

Hari Raya Food — What to Eat and Where to Find It

Food is at the centre of every Hari Raya celebration, and Singapore's Malay culinary tradition offers one of the most varied festive spreads in Southeast Asia. Whether you eat at a hawker centre, a Ramadan bazaar stall, or a halal-certified restaurant, the flavours are rich, layered, and worth seeking out.

Traditional Dishes You Should Try

The iconic centrepiece of a Hari Raya table is ketupat — diamond-shaped rice cakes wrapped and steamed in woven coconut leaves. Ketupat appears at nearly every open house and festive meal, usually served with beef rendang, a slow-cooked dry curry of beef simmered in coconut milk, lemongrass, galangal, and toasted spices until the sauce thickens around the meat.

Other savoury staples include:

• Ayam masak merah: Chicken cooked in a spicy, tangy tomato-based sauce — a crowd-pleaser across all age groups
• Sayur lodeh: A coconut milk vegetable stew with tofu, tempeh, long beans, and cabbage, typically eaten with ketupat or lontong
• Sambal goreng pengantin: A spicy stir-fry of beancurd, tempeh, and sometimes prawns in a rich chilli paste
• Serunding: Spiced shredded coconut flakes (beef or vegetable versions), used as a dry topping
• Lemang: Glutinous rice cooked with coconut milk inside bamboo lined with banana leaves — similar to ketupat but denser and slightly smoky

Kuih Raya and Sweet Treats

No Hari Raya visit is complete without a pass through the cookie tray. Kuih raya — festive biscuits and sweet snacks — are set out at every open house, and several varieties have become iconic.

• Kuih bangkit: Powdery tapioca cookies that dissolve on contact — light, crumbly, and subtly coconut-flavoured
• Ondeh-ondeh: Chewy pandan-flavoured glutinous rice balls filled with liquid palm sugar (gula Melaka) and rolled in grated coconut
• Kek lapis: Multi-layered cake baked one layer at a time, often in intricate patterns and multiple colours — a labour-intensive showpiece
• Pineapple tarts: Buttery pastry shells topped with sweet pineapple jam — shared with Chinese New Year, but equally central here
• Tapak kuda: Hoof-shaped cakes, available in 2026 in experimental flavours like pistachio kunafa and Biscoff crunch

Where to Eat — Halal Restaurants and Hawker Centres

If you want to taste traditional Hari Raya food in Singapore without an open house invitation, these spots deliver the real thing:

• Hjh Maimunah (Jalan Pisang): A Bib Gourmand-recognised restaurant with over 30 years of history, known for its nasi padang spread — the beef rendang and ayam goreng berempah are particularly worth ordering. Mains from SGD 5–15/~USD 3.75–11.
• Zam Zam (North Bridge Road): Opposite Sultan Mosque, this century-old institution serves murtabak — a stuffed pan-fried bread with minced mutton, onions, and egg. Murtabak from SGD 7/~USD 5.
• Islamic Restaurant (North Bridge Road): Operating since 1921, this Chinese-Muslim restaurant is known for its beef noodles and mee soto.
• Geylang Serai Market food centre: The wet market upstairs and hawker stalls downstairs serve Malay breakfast staples like nasi lemak, lontong, and mee rebus year-round, with extra festive options during Hari Raya.

Pesta Raya and Other Cultural Events

Hari Raya celebrations in Singapore go well beyond bazaars and food. The weeks following Aidilfitri feature dedicated arts festivals, community gatherings, and cultural programming that offer a deeper understanding of Malay heritage.

Pesta Raya – Malay Festival of Arts at the Esplanade

Pesta Raya is the Esplanade's annual celebration of Malay arts and culture from across the Nusantara (Malay Archipelago). The 2026 edition — the festival's 25th — ran from 16 to 19 April and featured a mix of ticketed performances and free public events.

Theatre was the spotlight of this year's programme. Randai MacBeth reimagined Shakespeare through Minangkabau performance traditions, while La Luna adapted a 2023 Indonesian romantic comedy-drama for the stage. The headline music act was Dato' Zainalabidin, a Malaysian music legend marking his 50th anniversary in the industry, performing at the Esplanade Concert Hall.

Free events filled the public spaces: traditional Malay music at the DBS Foundation Outdoor Theatre, a dikir barat showcase called Tepuk-Tepuk Raya, and an interactive children's performance called Ikan Kekek: Small Fish, Big Dreams combining Malay dance and storytelling.

• Venue: Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay, 1 Esplanade Drive, Singapore 038981
• When: Annually in April, approximately 3–4 weeks after Hari Raya (16–19 April in 2026)
• Tickets: Free for outdoor and public space performances; ticketed shows from SGD 25–68/~USD 19–51; Esplanade&Me members receive discounts
• Getting there: Esplanade MRT (Circle line) or City Hall MRT (East-West/North-South line)

Community Events and Open Houses

The People's Association coordinates Hari Raya events in community centres and neighbourhoods across Singapore throughout the festive period. These range from communal iftar meals during Ramadan to post-Hari Raya celebrations with cultural performances, cooking demonstrations, and inter-racial harmony activities. Check the People's Association event listings for what is happening near your accommodation.

Open houses are a central tradition during Hari Raya. Muslim families open their homes to friends, neighbours, colleagues, and even acquaintances, serving food and drinks to all who visit. If you are invited to an open house, accept — it is one of the most genuine ways to experience the festival.

What Non-Muslim Visitors Should Know — Etiquette and Cultural Tips

Singapore's Hari Raya celebrations are intentionally inclusive. The city's multicultural framework means non-Muslims regularly attend open houses, browse the bazaars, and join community events. A few things to keep in mind:

• Greeting: "Selamat Hari Raya" (Happy Hari Raya) is the standard greeting, often followed by "maaf zahir dan batin" (forgive me for any wrongdoings) — a gesture of reconciliation central to the festival's meaning
• Open house etiquette: Remove shoes at the door, accept food and drinks when offered (it is polite to at least try), and bring a small gift or Hari Raya hamper if you wish — though it is not required
• Duit raya: Green packets (similar to ang pao during Chinese New Year) are given by adults to children and elders as a gesture of goodwill. As a visitor, you are not expected to give duit raya unless you choose to
• Dress: Modest, neat attire is appreciated — for women, a maxi dress or long skirt with a sleeved top; for men, long trousers and a collared or button-down shirt. You do not need to wear traditional Malay clothing
• Photography: Always ask before photographing someone, especially in a private home or near a place of worship

Plan Your Hari Raya Experience in Singapore

Hari Raya Aidilfitri is one of Singapore's most welcoming and sensory-rich festivals. The bazaars bring hundreds of food and retail stalls to the streets, the light-up turns entire precincts into open-air galleries, and the tradition of open houses means you do not need to be Muslim to participate — you just need to show up with curiosity and respect.

For the fullest experience, spread your time across neighbourhoods. Geylang Serai delivers scale and energy. Kampong Glam adds heritage depth. The Esplanade rounds things out with performing arts from across the region. And the food — from a plate of beef rendang at Hjh Maimunah to a fresh ondeh-ondeh at the bazaar — ties it all together.

Start planning your Singapore trip around Hari Raya on Travjoy, where every experience has been researched and approved by local experts so you can focus on the celebration, not the logistics. Browse the top picks for Singapore to build your itinerary around the festival.