The Singapore River Festival (SRF) returns from 11 to 20 September 2026 for its milestone 10th edition. Organised by Singapore River One (SRO), this year's edition is themed The Quay Collective, a celebration of the people, places and stories that have shaped the Singapore River over the years.
As with past editions, the festival spans three precincts, namely Boat Quay, Clarke Quay and Robertson Quay. Each precinct carries its own distinct zone concept, but they all come together as one continuous festival journey.
Boat Quay serves as the Entertainment Zone, anchored by The River Echo Chambers, an eight-minute projection show that transforms the heritage shophouse facades along the quay into a visual canvas.
The show features cinematic visuals paired with an original soundtrack by Cinewav, taking audiences through the past, present and future of the Singapore River through three immersive portals.
Live performances round out the zone through The River Emergence, including community singalongs and live music by local artists Ann Siang Sounds, Leandra Lane and Omar Kenobi.
Another highlight is The River Song Parade by SMU's Samba Masala, staging a musical procession along the Singapore River before continuing ashore with a roving performance featuring percussion, rhythms and choreography.
Over at Clarke Quay, the Expression Zone puts creativity and self-expression front and centre.
The River Rhapsody at Read Bridge combines light, colour and sound, letting visitors influence the bridge's lighting through gestures and interact with a live soundtrack through movement. A virtual DJ projected onto the surrounding trees turns the area into an interactive dance floor.
The River Rhythm at Clarke Quay Fountain Square brings additional energy through flash mobs, street dance performances and acrobatic stunts featuring performers including Aqeello, Brylights, Jackie Siau and NTU MJ.
Matcha lovers should head to Matcha Central at Clarke Quay Central for live DJ sets, a curated lifestyle market and matcha themed activities, including a matcha appreciation masterclass for anyone curious about the finer points of preparing it.
At The Riverhouse, Clarke Quay's oldest building, Acai Social offers another take on the festival, swapping cocktails for açaí while playing through Top 20 hits in a heritage setting.
Robertson Quay hosts the Lifestyle and Wellness Zone for a more relaxed pace along the waterfront. The Flow of Serenity in front of King's Centre features soft lighting sequences across the river paired with soothing soundscapes, with visitors able to use the Cinewav web app for a more personal, therapeutic listening experience.
Families can look forward to an outdoor screening of How to Train Your Dragon (2025) at Riverside Cinema, with audio available through the Cinewav app using personal headphones or a borrowed set onsite. Seating is provided, or visitors can bring their own picnic mat.
The Riverview Social Market at Four Points by Sheraton Singapore brings together local makers offering handcrafted products, artisanal goods, fragrances and food, alongside complimentary workshops and activities.
Beyond the three main zones, SRF 2026 features several fringe experiences.
MONOPOLY: HIDDEN Singapore, Singapore River Festival Edition, sends participants on a self-guided adventure through Boat Quay and Clarke Quay, solving puzzles to unlock perks and festival merchandise. An exclusive bundle even comes with a Singapore River boat ride.
For a more heritage focused experience, Whispers of the Twin Quays, Singapore River Festival Edition, combines a curated boat ride with a guided heritage walk led by Yong from The Urbanist Singapore.
Participants explore Clarke Quay and Robertson Quay while learning about the river's trading history, hidden stories and urban transformation, with exclusive access to the conserved Jiak Kim Street godowns, which are rarely open to the public.
Sustainability is also part of SRF 2026 through a partnership with GoRental, which will deploy solar charged clean energy mobile battery systems across Boat Quay and Robertson Quay for the full 10-day run. T
he deployment is expected to supply approximately 1,600 kWh of clean energy, equivalent to powering 174 typical three room HDB flats for a day, while avoiding an estimated 1.30 tonnes of CO2e emissions.
This marks GoRental's third consecutive year supporting the festival with cleaner temporary power in place of conventional generators.
Boat Quay is a short walk from Raffles Place MRT Station (EW14/NS26), while Clarke Quay is accessible via Clarke Quay MRT Station (NE5) or Fort Canning MRT Station (DT20).
All experiences at SRF 2026 are free and open to the public, making this a great chance to experience the Singapore River in a whole new light. Mark the dates, gather your friends or family, and get ready to explore all three quays in one festival journey filled with light and music!
