The Qixi festival which is marked by the age-old custom of wishing upon the stars will return to Chinatown after an absence of over half a century, from July to August. The 7-week Qixi Fest, starting from 7th July will feature workshops, tours, talks and exhibitions that will be leading up to a mega carnival held along Smith Street on August 19th and 20th.
More than 50% of the programmes will be open free to the public while the project is supported by the Singapore Tourism Board. A magpie mascot has been created for the festival, named QiQi or seven seven in Mandarin. It is also known as Seven Sisters Festival, Qiqiao Festival or Double Seventh Festival and is associated with the legend that took place on this day, about the brief reunion of the weaver fairy and the cowherd and used to be one of the most significant traditional Chinese festivals in Singapore for women. Legend has it that magpies formed a bridge every 7th day of the 7th lunar month for lovers separated across the Milky Way, fulfilling their wish to meet.
It has been a custom to wish upon the stars on this day, since the Han Dynasty. The Qixi Festival had its heyday in Chinatown from the 1930s to the 1950s. Women used to form more than 100 Milky Way Associations, displaying their exquisite handicrafts, which included miniatures of items such as food and furniture, attracting throngs of visitors throughout the night. Celebrations were mostly held in the Keppel Harbour area, lasting for several days. Even though places in Asia like Vietnam, Hong Kong, Japan and South Korea continued to celebrate it, the festival faded from public consciousness in the 1970s.
Participants could pen their wishes on paper magpies customizing their own magpie crochet plushie to let their wishes take flight. The mega carnival that is held on Smith Street will showcase several talents of the clans’ through performances such as martial arts and live band singing demonstrations by young children.
