CNY Entertainment Singapore: Prices, Booking Windows and What to Hire
A practical guide to booking lion dance, dragon dance and CNY performers in Singapore before the December rush.
CNY entertainment in Singapore for 2027 (Chinese New Year falls on 17 February) typically means a lion dance troupe (from around SGD 800 to 1,800 per performance), a dragon dance for larger venues (from around SGD 2,000), and optional add-ons like a huat ah drum roll, fortune god (Cai Shen) walkabout, or traditional guzheng music. Corporate office visitations and mall activations should be booked by early December, since good troupes are fully booked through the first two weeks of the lunar new year by mid-January.
- What counts as CNY entertainment in Singapore
- Chinese New Year entertainment prices in SGD
- How to hire lion dance in Singapore
- CNY performance for company events
- Chinese New Year 2027 entertainment ideas
- Timing, venues and the booking window
- The most expensive mistake companies make
What counts as CNY entertainment in Singapore
CNY entertainment Singapore bookings fall into three tiers: traditional ritual acts (lion dance, dragon dance, drum troupes), cultural performances (guzheng, erhu, pipa music, Chinese calligraphy, fan dance), and modern add-ons (LED lion dance, acrobats, magicians with a CNY theme, roving Cai Shen the God of Fortune). Most companies book one lion dance act as the anchor and add one or two smaller acts around it depending on budget and floor space.
The lion dance remains the non-negotiable centrepiece for almost every Singapore CNY event, whether it is a corporate office opening, a mall atrium activation, or a private estate gathering. It is the one act clients ask for by name rather than by description.
Chinese New Year entertainment prices in SGD
Prices move with two things: the number of performers in the troupe (a standard lion needs two dancers plus drummers, a premium lion adds a second lion or higher-difficulty stunts like the pole jump) and the date. Rates on the first three days of CNY and on the eve itself run 20 to 40 percent above a normal weekday booking, because troupes are working back to back across multiple venues that day.
| Act | Typical price range (SGD) | What is usually included |
|---|---|---|
| Single lion dance, standard (15 to 20 min) | 800 to 1,400 | 2 dancers, 1 to 2 drummers, cymbals, basic huat ah routine |
| Single lion dance with pole/bench stunts | 1,400 to 2,200 | Higher-skill troupe, props, longer routine, photo moment |
| Twin lion dance | 1,800 to 3,200 | Two lions performing together, more visual impact for atriums |
| Dragon dance (9 to 12 metre dragon) | 2,000 to 4,500 | 8 to 12 performers, drummer, suited to open floors or outdoor space |
| LED lion dance (indoor low-light or evening) | 1,500 to 2,800 | Illuminated costume, best for dinner and dance nights or ballrooms |
| Fortune God (Cai Shen) walkabout with red packets | 400 to 800 | 1 costumed performer, photo walkabout, 30 to 45 minutes |
| Traditional music set (guzheng, erhu, pipa) | 500 to 1,200 | 1 to 3 musicians, 30 to 60 minutes, background or featured set |
| CNY eve or first three days surcharge | +20% to 40% | Peak date loading, confirm at time of quote |
These are Singapore market ranges and they shift year to year, so treat them as a planning guide and confirm the exact figure when you get your quote. Venue access fees, loading bay restrictions and firecracker permits (for outdoor lion dance with actual firecrackers, which need a police permit) are usually quoted separately from the performance fee.
How to hire lion dance in Singapore
To hire lion dance in Singapore, you give the agency four things: the date, the venue address and floor (ballrooms and office lobbies have different ceiling height and space needs), the time slot, and whether you want the troupe to bring firecrackers, a drum set, or red packets for a giving ceremony. A reputable troupe will ask about ceiling height before confirming, because the pole-jump and bench routines need clearance that some low mall ceilings do not have.
A few things that catch first-time bookers out. Lion dance troupes in Singapore are almost always Cantonese Southern lion style, which is louder and more acrobatic than the Northern style seen in China, so if a client has seen Northern lion dance abroad and expects that look, flag the difference early. Also confirm whether cymbal and drum noise is permitted in your venue, since some hotel ballrooms with events running in the room next door will cap volume or ask for a quieter routine.
For office visitations across multiple floors or multiple company entities in one building, ask whether the troupe charges per stop or per hour, since some quote a flat half-day rate for 4 to 6 short visits rather than a per-lion-dance fee.
CNY performance for company events
A CNY performance for company events usually needs to do double duty: mark the festival and give management a photo moment with staff or clients. The standard corporate CNY run of show is a 5 to 10 minute welcome speech, a 15 to 20 minute lion dance with the eye-dotting ceremony (a director dabs the lion's eyes with a brush for good fortune, a nice touch for leadership photos), then a red packet distribution or lucky draw, then the event moves into lunch or dinner.
For dinner and dance events specifically, an LED lion dance often works better than a daylight troupe because the lighting effect is built for a darkened ballroom, and it can be scheduled as the opening act right after the emcee's welcome. If your D&D already has a live band and an emcee booked, the lion dance slots in as a 15-minute segment before the first course, and coordinating that timing between the emcee, the band and the troupe is where a single agency handling all three saves real friction on the night. Our dinner and dance event planning page covers how that run of show is typically structured.
Larger companies running office visitations across a business park sometimes book two troupes on the same morning to cover different buildings within the same time window, since one troupe cannot physically be in two places.
Chinese New Year 2027 entertainment ideas
Chinese New Year 2027 falls on Wednesday, 17 February, which means most corporate events land the week before (9 to 16 February) since the actual eve and first two days are family time for most staff. Ideas that work well for a 2027 event, beyond the standard lion dance:
- Pair a lion dance with a live band set. Open with the lion dance, transition straight into the band's first set, so the energy does not dip between segments.
- Add a calligraphy or fortune-telling corner as a standalone activity table for guests to interact with during cocktail hour, separate from the main stage performances.
- Book an LED lion dance for evening dinners rather than a standard daylight troupe, since the lighting effect needs a dim room to land.
- Use a magician with a CNY-themed set (coins, red packets, prosperity tricks) for roving close-up entertainment during the reception, which works well alongside a fixed-stage lion dance.
- Consider a dragon dance only if the venue has genuine floor space. A 9 to 12 metre dragon needs a clear run, and cramming it into a standard hotel ballroom aisle looks worse than a well-executed lion dance in the same space.
See the full range of options on our acts and services page or check specific lion dance price list for a detailed breakdown by troupe size.
Timing, venues and the booking window
The booking window for CNY entertainment in Singapore is tighter than most corporate clients expect. Good troupes take bookings for the peak week (the eve plus the first three days of CNY) by early December, and by mid-January the well-known troupes are largely booked out for those specific dates, though weekday slots in the two weeks after CNY day itself usually still have availability since many companies do their visitation later in the lunar month.
We have supplied performers into Marina Bay Sands function rooms, Suntec convention halls, Resorts World Sentosa, Capella, Shangri-La, Raffles, the Fullerton, and standard hotel ballrooms and office lobbies across the island. Ballroom bookings need floor protection confirmed with the hotel banquet team in advance if firecrackers or confetti cannons are part of the act, since most five-star venues restrict open flame and will only allow simulated (recorded) firecracker sound with LED effects instead.
The most expensive mistake: booking the venue before checking troupe availability for that exact date
Companies lock in a ballroom for the week before CNY, announce the date internally, then find every reputable lion dance troupe is already booked for that slot. The fix is to hold your top two or three date options with your entertainment agency at the same time you are shortlisting venues, not after the venue contract is signed. A five-minute WhatsApp check on availability costs nothing; re-dating a confirmed corporate event because no troupe is free costs you the internal credibility of the whole booking.
CNY event entertainment: what to send us for a fast quote
CNY event entertainment quotes go out fastest when you can give us the date, the venue, and roughly how many guests. From there we can tell you within a working day whether your preferred troupe is free, what the peak-date surcharge looks like for that specific day, and whether the venue needs any special access arrangements. We also handle the emcee, live band, and AV or LED screen side of the same event if you need the full run of show planned in one place, which you can see on our event types page.
Send us your event date, venue and headcount on WhatsApp at +65 9428 4249 and we will come back with a quote within a working day.
Frequently asked questions
How much does CNY entertainment cost in Singapore?
A standard single lion dance performance runs roughly SGD 800 to 1,400, with premium troupes doing pole and bench stunts priced from SGD 1,400 to 2,200. Dragon dance for larger open venues starts around SGD 2,000. Dates within the first three days of CNY typically carry a 20 to 40 percent peak surcharge, so confirm the exact rate for your date when you request a quote.
How do I hire a lion dance troupe in Singapore?
Contact an entertainment agency with your event date, venue address, floor, and preferred time slot. Confirm ceiling height if you want pole or bench stunts, and check whether the venue allows drum and cymbal noise plus firecracker sound effects. Most agencies, including Bella Entertainment, can confirm troupe availability and pricing within one working day over WhatsApp or email.
How far in advance should I book CNY entertainment?
Book by early December for the peak week (CNY eve and the first three days of the lunar new year), since well-known lion dance troupes are usually fully booked for those specific dates by mid-January. Weekday slots in the two weeks after CNY day itself generally have more availability, as many corporate visitations happen later in the lunar month rather than on the day itself.
What is included in a standard lion dance performance?
A standard 15 to 20 minute lion dance includes two dancers inside the lion costume, one or two drummers with cymbals, and a routine that usually ends with the lion "eating" a lettuce or orange offering (choy cheng) and spitting out lucky words or confetti. Eye-dotting ceremonies, pole stunts and firecracker sound effects are typically add-ons quoted separately from the base performance fee.
What CNY entertainment works best for a corporate dinner and dance?
An LED lion dance suits evening dinner and dance events better than a standard daylight troupe, since the lighting effect needs a dimmed ballroom to have impact. Run it as a 15-minute opening segment right after the emcee's welcome, before the first course is served, so it does not compete with the live band's set later in the evening.
Can I book a dragon dance instead of a lion dance?
Yes, but a dragon dance needs genuine floor space, typically a 9 to 12 metre dragon with 8 to 12 performers requiring a clear run rather than a tight ballroom aisle. It suits atriums, outdoor plazas and large convention halls better than standard function rooms. Dragon dance pricing in Singapore usually starts around SGD 2,000 and rises with dragon length and performer count.
Do lion dance troupes in Singapore use real firecrackers?
Most indoor venues, including hotel ballrooms and shopping malls, do not permit real firecrackers and require simulated firecracker sound paired with confetti or LED effects instead. Outdoor events using actual firecrackers need a police permit arranged in advance. Confirm your venue's specific policy with the banquet or facilities team before finalising the act, since restrictions vary by venue.
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