Under Ubin Night Skies
An arts and community festival on Pulau Ubin
What are your deepest longings that city life cannot satiate? Is it connection, belonging or a return to stories, myths and legends?
Pulau Ubin, Singapore's last offshore island with a living kampong community embodies so much of this. From the moment you arrive at the jetty where bumboats wait to gather twelve passengers before departing, time begins to loosen its grip. At night under Ubin’s skies your senses attune as you are drawn into a landscape of living ecology, traditions and stories that linger in the land.
This includes the annual Da Bo Gong Qian Qiu Celebration, a tradition that has been around for over a century, where villagers gather for wayang performances that light up the night and spill into the forest and mangroves. Legend speaks of a tiger that came to watch, known only through a footprint, never seen.
Inspired by these histories, Under Ubin Night Skies invites you to experience the island after dusk in a new way through theatre, sound, light and encounters with nature. Come wander, feel, and celebrate with us over a series of evenings on Pulau Ubin!
This project is made possible through collaboration with Pulau Ubin Fo Shan Teng Da Bo Gong Temple (乌敏岛佛山亭大伯公庙).
Dates
30 May - 5 June (6pm onwards)
Meeting point
Changi Point Ferry Terminal
Address
51 Lor Bekukong, Singapore 499172.
(Please proceed to the basement waiting area upon arrival, and look for our team member with a "Under Ubin Night Skies" signage)
Ticket Information
The festival evenings will unfold with complementary programming alongside the experiences you sign up for. These include wayang performances by the Temple, an art and light installation, acoustic music sets, hands-on art workshops, and a reprise of our exhibition 'There is No Tiger in the Mountain'.
- Promenade Theatre: In the Middle of the Water Only
- Promenade Theatre: In the Middle of the Water + Forest Therapy Walk (guided)
- Promenade Theatre: In the Middle of the Water + Nature Night Tour (guided)
- Puppet Show: Ubin Mayhem by The Finger Players + Concert: One Night in Ubin by Lorlahlei
Book your tickets here!
About the Experiences
Nature Night Tour
30 May – 4 June 2026 · 7:30pm – 9pm
Pulau Ubin is celebrated for its extraordinary biodiversity, and at night the island reveals a wholly different world. This 1.5-hour walk on level road and open dirt trail is led by veteran nature guide Andrew Tay, whose 32 years of experience offers a patient lens into the island’s nocturnal life.
More details will be shared with ticket holders via email.
Nature Guide: Andrew Tay
Forest Therapy Walk
30 May – 4 June 2026 · 6:30pm – 8pm
Forest Therapy is an invitation to step entirely out of the pace of modern life and return to the body, the breath, and the senses. Guided by two experienced facilitators, participants walk through gentle terrain and are invited to simply notice the texture of the ground beneath their feet, the scent of the forest at dusk, and the subtle movements of nature all around them.
Forest Therapy Guides: Genevieve Peck, Daphne Lee, Oh Long Yuan
Promenade Theatre: In the Middle of the Water
30 May – 4 June 2026 · 6:30pm – 7:15pm & 8:30pm – 9:15pm · Language: English
A one-woman promenade performance that moves through the living landscape of Ubin, from jetty to quarry to kampong to temple. The audience walks alongside the performer, pausing where she pauses and listening. Along the way, they encounter stories of movement in granite, water, people, animals, and trees, tracing slow currents of history into a layered portrait of the island.
Actor: Chng Xin Xuan
Co-Directors: Chng Xin Xuan & Kok Heng Leun
Playwright: Kok Heng Leun
Puppet Show: Ubin Mayhem by The Finger Players
5 June 2026 · 6:30pm – 7:15pm
The Finger Players, Singapore’s leading puppetry company, bring excerpts from beloved classics to life through the intimate craft of traditional hand puppets. After the performance, audiences are invited to join a hands-on workshop, a rare opportunity for all ages to hold a puppet and experience the patience the craft requires.
Concert: One Night in Ubin by Lorlahlei
5 June 2026 · 8pm – 9:30pm
On this night, songs drawn from villagers’ lives, from childhood, joy, loss, and long evenings past, are performed with full musical arrangement. It is an act of honouring and recognition of a community that has lived, loved, and carried a culture worth celebrating.
Artists: Ric Liu, Audrey Luo, Suhaili, Sugee Phua
Musical Direction and Arrangement: August Lum
Live Musicians: Jamie Lee and August Lum
Art & Light Installation: Roam
30 May – 5 June 2026 · 6pm – 9:30pm
The light installation is the luminous heart of the festival. Created by Singapore artist Sai Hua Kuan, it is sited beside the Temple Wayang Stage, one of only two remaining traditional wayang stages in Singapore.The work draws on the local legend of tiger footprints once appearing during temple festivals. In Chinese and Malay tradition, the tiger is seen as a protective presence and guardian of the land. It brings this legend to life, offering the island its blessing once more.
Artist: Sai Hua Kuan
Acoustic Music Performances
30 May – 4 Jun · 7:30pm – 8:30pm
Throughout the evenings, musicians will perform acoustic sets in the open air by Ubin Jetty. You are invited to sway, move, and enjoy these sets.
Musicians: Xena Giam, Lai Yu Tong, Pupa
Art Workshop
30 May – 4 Jun · 6:30pm – 9:30pm
Led by an artist every evening, participants are invited to create small works inspired by the island’s textures, colours, and spirit using materials gathered from Ubin. No skill is required, and there are no expectations to meet.
Artists: Lynette Quek, Eve Tan
Exhibition – There is No Tiger in the Mountain (Reprise)
30 May - 5 June · 6pm – 9:30pm
A reprise of Project 12’s successful exhibition exploring how villagers of Pulau Ubin co-exist with wildlife. Through video, artefacts, artworks, and audio, the exhibition located at 2 Bro Nanyang Cafe invites reflection on what it means to live in a City in Nature, seen through the lived experiences of Ubin’s villagers.
Artists: Shirley Soh, Lynette Quek, Lim Wei Ling, Chng Xin Xuan, Michael Cheng, Kok Heng Leun
Support our work
This project is entirely self-funded and driven by our commitment to the community. Your generous support will ensure we can continue this vital work in the years ahead. If you’d like to contribute, donation options are available during your ticket purchase.
All donations are eligible for a 250% tax deduction. After the event, Drama Box will reach out to all donors via email to collect the necessary details (e.g., NRIC/FIN) to process your tax deduction with IRAS.
For enquiries, please email weare@dramabox.org
Due to limited capacity, we may not be able to respond to all queries immediately.
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