The month has already whizzed past us in the blink of an eye, and if you’ve not had the chance to take a stab at the best February deals, you’ll have another reason to rejoice. In case you’re not keeping up with the major holidays on the Little Red Dot, the holy month of Ramadan is coming real soon, and along with it, the Gemilang Kampong Gelam Ramadan Bazaar.
Packed with over 100 food and retail booths, this year’s edition of the bazaar also features crafty workshops and dazzling light shows to gaze at. We went down to partake in the festivities ourselves on a busy Friday evening, so here’s everything you need to know about the bustling, 35-day-long affair.
The Gemilang Kampong Gelam Ramadan Bazaar is an annual marketplace set up in the Kampong Glam neighbourhood to celebrate the holy month of Ramadan. Entry is free, and this year’s edition of the bazaar is taking place right now, from 19th February to 25th March 2025.
Just like previous years’ editions of the bazaar, the Kampong Gelam Ramadan Bazaar 2025 will be held on various streets in the Kampong Gelam neighbourhood. The bazaar is split into 3 different zones, occupying Baghdad Street, Kandahar Street, and Muscat Street.
The closest MRT station to the Kampong Gelam Ramadan Bazaar is the Bugis MRT station, and it’s located about a 12-minute walk away from the bazaar. You can also opt to take the public bus to get to the bazaar; simply alight at the Plaza Parkroyal bus stop (stop ID 01529). Buses that make a stop here include bus no. 100, 107, 961, and 980. The bazaar is then a quick 4-min walk away.
For those driving there, the closest parking lots are at the Baghdad Street open air car park. However, parking lots here are quite limited so unless you plan to come early, we recommend taking the public transport to get to the bazaar. If you’re planning to take a private hire vehicle there, the drop-off point you’ll want to book on your apps will be 45 Sultan Gate.
The entrance of Gemilang Kampong Gelam Ramadan Bazaar 2025.
Visitors can expect to shop and dine at over 100 food and retail booths set up at the open-air bazaar while taking part in a slew of festivities on the side. These include trying your hand at workshops such as Arabic calligraphy and batik painting, as well as catching traditional Malay performances and the mesmerising Sultan Mosque light shows at night.
As usual, there’s much to see, do, and most importantly, eat, at Gemilang Kampong Gelam Ramadan Bazaar. We arrived around 7pm on a Friday evening on our visit, and the crowds were already in full force. But, the sea of people wasn’t enough to deter us from getting our grub, so here’s a quick rundown of the bazaar’s highlights this year.
Foodies will definitely want to head down to Gemilang Kampong Gelam Ramadan Bazaar 2025, as there’ll be at least 80 F&B vendors dishing out goodies to snack on. As far as prices are concerned, expect to spend around $25-$30 per pax. The food here can be quite costly, especially if you want to try a little bit of everything.
One of the first food booths that we caught a whiff off was Smashed SG’s sizzling beef patties. However, the Muslim-owned joint wasn’t whipping up the sumptuous burgers they’re known for, but instead were serving signature tacos ($12 for 2) that were topped off with a generous amount of melted mozzarella cheese.
Next up, we swung by Picanhas’, a local steakhouse that’s chockfull with meaty offerings. We just had to order their famous Peoples’ Steak & Mash ($18), which ultimately proved to be one of our favourite dishes that night. The 150g Picanha steak was cooked to medium rare perfection, which paired nicely with the savoury treat that was their garlic mashed potatoes.
If you’re not much of a carnivore yourself, there are other options to dig into as well. Look out for House of Lemang’s hearty servings of lemang, which is a traditional dish prepared by cooking glutinous rice, coconut milk, and salt in a bamboo stick.
For dessert, we popped by Wan-A-Scoop’s booth to pick up a Red Velvet Waffle ($10) which was pretty much drenched in chocolate sauce – sure to delight those with a sweet tooth. You can also pay a visit to the cheeky Turkish ice cream man’s stand on Muscat Street, but be warned, you just might fall victim to his antics before you can indulge in your icy cool cones.
To wash everything down, we picked up Thai Milk Teas (from $4) from the familiar Ah Moi Thai Tea booth, along with a huge cup of Air Balang (from $4) from Balang Kepalang. The latter came in a whopping 15 different flavours such as lemon mint, tiramisu, and Ribena lychee, and you can even request to sample their drinks in small cups before picking one to gulp down.
We’d be here forever if we were to list down the all food options you could gobble down at the Kampong Gelam Ramadan Bazaar, so here’s a quick list of our other must-trys:
Once you’ve bought your food, head over to the tented area near the open-air lawn to enjoy your food. Just a heads up, we found that there’s not a lot of benches and tables set up at the venue, so you might want to head here first to chope any available seats before going to purchase your food.
Alternatively, there’s another free-seating area within the tented area behind a row of food booths, but this one doesn’t have any tables and chairs. You can still have your meals here picnic-style if you wish; we spotted many doing just that on our visit.
Some of the retail shops can also be found right beside the seating area. For those looking to do some shopping, you’ll be delighted to know that you can get some fresh threads at vendors like One Batik. They’ve got long sleeve and short sleeve button-ups emblazoned with intricate batik prints that are starting from $48.
Should the little ones need a new wardrobe too, swing by Kids Essential which is just next door. Lining their racks are children’s clothing made from breathable fabrics that are perfect for the humid Singapore weather. Single shirts are going for $24.90, while a complete set with a pair of shorts costs $34.80.
Meanwhile, the folks over at Let’s Dessert by FNJ are selling yummy festive pastries to bring home. We taste-tested their Kunafas ($10) which came in a variety of flavours like pistachio and milk chocolate, while their Tart Kunafas ($15) were bite-sized treats that packed a flavourful crunch.
Again, here’s a round-up of the other retail booths you can find at the Kampong Gelam Ramadan Bazaar:
Local artist Erwan Bar’s introduction to Arabic calligraphy class.
If you’d like to stretch after your meals, then head on over to the various workshops at Gemilang Kampong Gelam Ramadan Bazaar 2025. There are a couple to choose from; for starters, sit in for Arabic calligraphy sessions ($20/pax) with local artist Erwan Bar. You’ll get to pick up the delicate art of Arabic lettering and bring home a personalised calligraphy piece.
Another creative outlet to let your imagination take centre stage is the Batik Painting with Hanisa M workshop ($20/pax). Participants will learn how to imprint beautiful batik patterns on everyday items such as coasters, wooden frames, and vases to decorate their homes or workspaces with.
Arabic Calligraphy by Erwan Bar
Price: $20/pax
Date: 27th-28th February 2025, 13th-14th March 2025
Time: Thu 12pm-2pm, 4pm-6pm | Fri 3pm-5pm
Location: 45 Sultan Gate, Level 2
Batik Painting with Hanisa M
Price: $20/pax
Date: 6th-7th March 2025, 20th-21st March 2025
Time: 12pm-2pm, 4pm-6pm
Location: 45 Sultan Gate, Level 2
Do stay for the traditional Malay performances at Gemilang Kampong Gelam Ramadan Bazaar 2025 too. These will take place during the roving Joget Parade which happens every Saturday from 8pm-9pm.
The parade will start at 45 Sultan Gate and opens with a Kompang entourage, which feature traditional Balinese and Javanese drum-like instruments. The parade will make its way to Kandahar Street, where a Pencak Silat demonstration will wow onlookers, and close out with a traditional Malay dance performance at Bussorah Mall.
Similar to Gemilang Kampong Gelam Ramadan Bazaar 2024, the Sultan Mosque light shows will also be held during this year’s bazaar.
Backed by immersive 5.1 Surround Sound acoustics, the iconic Sultan Mosque’s facade will be lit up in a myriad of colours and thoughtful visuals that represent Ramadan, such as projections of date trees, olives, and ketupat. These light shows will happen on every Friday to Sunday, from 7.40pm to 9pm in intervals of 15 minutes.
Joget Parade
Admission: Free
Date: 19th February-25th March 2025
Time: Every Sat 8pm-9pm
Location: 45 Sultan Gate
Sultan Mosque Light Show
Admission: Free
Date: 19th February-25th March 2025
Time: Fri-Sun 7.40pm-9pm, every 15 minutes
Location: Sultan Mosque
For a cute memento of your visit, try to make a stop at all the DIY stamp rally kiosks peppered throughout the bazaar. As each kiosk’s stamp is unique, you’ll be able to form a complete picture of the Kampong Gelam Ramadan Bazaar by making a stop at all 4 of them. Flash your completed postcard at the booth near 45 Sultan Gate, and you’ll even be rewarded with a $10 F&B voucher to spend at the food booths.
Also, the Gemilang Kampong Gelam Ramadan Bazaar will not be complete without its annual Mass Iftar.
Taking place on 22th March 2025 at 6.30pm, it’s a huge communal gathering where those participating in Ramadan are invited to break their fast together along the streets of Kampong Gelam. It’s projected that 1,000 people will be taking part in this year’s Mass Iftar, so it’s bound to be a buzzing get-together.
Participants of the Kampong Tour will also receive a $15 food voucher to spend at the bazaar’s F&B booths.
This year, there are also new additions to the bazaar to commemorate Singapore’s 60th year of independence. These include Kampong Tours ($35/pax) that’ll run every Wednesday from 12pm to 2pm, where visitors can visit and learn more about landmarks in the area such as Sultan Mosque, Gedung Kuning, and 45 Sultan Gate.
Kampong Gelam Ramadan Bazaar Mass Iftar 2025
Admission: Free
Date: 22nd March 2025
Time: 6.30pm onwards
Location: Along Arab Street
Kampong Tour
Admission: $35/pax
Date: 19th February-25th March 2025
Time: Every Wed 12pm-2pm
Location: Sultan Mosque
TheSmartLocal Gemilang Kampong Gelam Ramadan Bazaar Review
The Kampong Gelam Ramadan Bazaar 2025 is worth a visit, especially if you’re a massive foodie. Despite the somewhat high prices and overbearing crowds, it still warrants a visit due to the sheer variety of food; plus, the crowds are avoidable by going on off-peak periods.
Those who’ve resolved to keep their bodies in shape for 2025 will have a pretty rough start to the year, seeing that the CNY and Ramadan celebrations are awfully close to one another. But, for the rest who don’t mind gorging on the delectable nosh, be sure to visit the Gemilang Kampong Gelam Ramadan Bazaar 2025 while it’s in town for the next month or so.
For more new things to do in Singapore:
Photography by Alvinna Phang.
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