ChildAid 2026: 133 performers gear up for a free riverside festival

[SINGAPORE] As the opening notes of Elton John’s I’m Still Standing ring out across the SPH Media auditorium, a roomful of young performers bursts into action.

Arms swing, feet shuffle and bodies turn in synchronisation. There are steps to remember, formations to perfect and plenty of choreography to master.

Over the past few days, the SPH auditorium has been a hive of activity as singers, dancers and musicians rehearse for ChildAid 2026, which returns on Nov 13 and 14 with its biggest reinvention yet.

After two decades as a traditional concert, the annual charity fundraiser jointly organised by The Business Times and The Straits Times is moving outdoors, transforming UOB Plaza Atrium by the Singapore River into a free, two-day festival.

For the performers, it means swapping the controlled environment of a theatre for an open-air stage, where the bustle of the city, passing crowds and unpredictable weather will present a different kind of challenge.

And what a spectacle awaits.

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Across the two days, more than 133 performers in 44 acts will present everything from musical theatre and ballet to hip-hop, classical music, pop and rock.

Expect theatrical performances on the plaza steps, an acoustic guitar performance by the river at sunset, a Michael Jackson medley and even a multigenerational band fronted by a teenager.

With performances running from 11 am to 8 pm, audiences are welcome to come any time and enjoy the festival village.

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There are plenty of games and interactive activities, including a 4.8 m-long pledge wall where visitors can leave their mark for a good cause.

Children can make their own clickers, have their faces painted or their portraits drawn by caricature artists, while families can tuck into popcorn, ice cream and other treats from the food stalls.

Radio stations Kiss92, ONE FM 91.3 and Money FM 89.3 will also be on hand with complimentary ice cream and merchandise.

Back at rehearsals, the excitement is building.

Nine-year-old Rachel Lee and Colette Wong, friends from Chua Chu Kang Primary School, are preparing to unleash their inner divas as the Cinder Sisters – Cinderella’s wicked stepsiblings.

They’re what the industry affectionately calls “triple threats”: “We can sing, dance and act,” Lee confidently says. “You have to see us perform to understand.”

For 13-year-old Adam Mifzal Syah from Temasek Secondary School, some dance steps are proving a little tricky. But he says: “I wanted to be involved in this because it’s a chance to give back to society by raising funds for the two charities.”

That spirit of generosity is at the heart of an event which has raised more than S$32 million since its inception in 2005, for both The Straits Times School Pocket Money Fund and The Business Times Budding Artists Fund, helping children from disadvantaged backgrounds with their education and opportunities to develop artistic talents.

For Chen Huifen, editor of The Business Times, the new festival format is about taking that spirit of giving beyond the concert hall.

“ChildAid has always been about helping socially disadvantaged children. But we also want to remind everyone that giving can be joyful. By bringing the performances outdoors, making the event free, and adding food, games and activities, we’re hoping to create something that families, friends and even casual passers-by can enjoy together.”

ChildAid 2026 Festival: Open Stage takes place at UOB Plaza Atrium, 80 Raffles Place, on Nov 13 and 14, from 11 am to 8 pm. Admission is free. Donations can be made at str.sg/CA2026 or via PayNow at the venue.