In case you haven’t noticed all the decorations popping up around town, we’ve officially begun the Chinese New Year festivities. Bring out the pineapple tarts and bak kwa, get dressed in your finest cheongsam and dive into the spirit of CNY with all the events celebrating the Year of the Rat.
Chinatown Street Light-Up
Till 22 Feb
Chinatown comes to life with hundreds of handmade sculptured lanterns of the rat and its 11 zodiac friends along with gold coins, flowers and greetings. The light-up is held till midnight daily all the way till 22 February so there’s plenty of time to tick off all spots.
Chinatown Street Light-Up, 7pm-12am (daily), 7pm-6am (Eve of CNY), various locations including Eu Tong Sen Street, New Bridge Road, South Bridge Road and Garden Bridge.
Prosperity in Bloom at the Malls of Frasers Property
Till 24 Jan
These malls are ringing in Chinese New Year with plenty of fun activities, attractive prizes and workshops for the whole fambam and, of course, lion dance performances. The familiar lion dance will take place at all eight malls together with Chinese acrobatic shows and LED dragon dances. This year, step into the virtual Kueh Town game via the Frasers Experience app to win $888 worth of digital gift cards. All you need to do is collect all 15 Kueh Town Mayors by spending $10 or paying with GrabPay at participating stores, or by completing daily tasks at the games stations across all eight malls.
Prosperity in Bloom at the Malls of Frasers Property, various timings, eight malls including The Centrepoint, YewTee Point, Northpoint, Changi City Point, Anchorpoint, Bedok Point, Causeway Point and Waterway Point.
Wan Qing Festival of Spring 2020
1 – 2 Feb
If you really want to get into the CNY spirit, Wan Qing Festival of Spring has just the right line-up for you. Boasting over 20 programmes, it’ll get you all ready for the New Year in no time. We are particularly drawn to the Balestier heritage trail, make your own Chinese seal and Chinese knot weaving craft stations, and the guided tour of “From Brush to Lens: Early Chinese Photography Studios in Singapore” exhibition. Can’t wait!
Wan Qing Festival of Spring 2020, 10am-9pm, Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall, 12 Tai Gin Road, Singapore 327874
13th International Lion Dance competition
11 – 12 Jan
If squeezing with the crowds to shop for some new year goodies is not your thing, why not check out the International Lion Dance competition? This annual event has entered its 13th year and you can expect nothing less than the finest and most exciting performances as top troupes vie for the grand prize through spectacular routines.
International Lion Dance competition, 6pm, Kreta Ayer People’s Theatre, 30A Kreta Ayer Road, Singapore 088997
Chinese New Year Street Fair 2020
Till 22 Jan
Indulge in nostalgia this CNY and enjoy old-school snacks and pastries at Old Chang Kee’s street fair. Yup, these guys have branched out from curry puffs, bringing iconic snacks to you in true-blue old-street Singapore style. Feeling peckish? There’s also a range of hawker food such as Hainanese chicken rice balls, curry chicken, nasi lemak and noodles.
Chinese New Year Street Fair 2020, 8am-8pm, Old Chang Kee HQ, 4 Woodlands Terrace, Singapore 738427
Dahlia Dreams at Gardens by the Bay
17 Jan – 23 Feb
Gardens by the Bay pulls out all the stops every year with its CNY displays in the Flower Dome, and 2020 is all about blooming dahlias (along with festive and auspicious plants like narcissus, chrysanthemum, azalea and celosia) amidst the backdrop of an elaborate Chinese garden. You can bet everyone will be doing their #OOTD shots here… you’ve been warned.
Dahlia Dreams, 9am-9pm, Flower Dome, Gardens by the Bay, 18 Marina Gardens Drive, Singapore 018953
Abundance in the Sea at S.E.A Aquarium
11 Jan – 9 Feb
Watch the S.E.A Aquarium come to life with a magical underwater dragon performance together with a host of fun and fortune-filled activities. Oh and look out for the mouse grouper and pineapple fish. Bring the kiddos along and expect to take plenty of cool photos for the ‘gram!
Abundance in the Sea, 10am-7pm, S.E.A Aquarium, 8 Sentosa Gateway, Sentosa, Singapore 098269
Spring Surprise at Gardens by the Bay
27 Jan – 9 Feb
Enjoy an LED performance of the auspicious Chinese myth (yup, the dragon) with massive firework-like sparkles, shadow puppet performances, a wushu display and Chinese orchestra performances from the Singapore Chinese Orchestra and Ding Yi Music Company. And of course, no CNY festivity is complete without the majestic lion dance on poles, which you can catch at the Supertree Grove.
Spring Surprise, various timings, Gardens by the Bay, 18 Marina Gardens Drive, Singapore 018953
River Hongbao 2020
23 Jan – 1 Feb
This is possibly one of Singapore’s most classic CNY events. Each year, thousands flock to this celebratory event, which features mega-sized colourful lanterns, eclectic live performances and plenty of fireworks. Highlights include the carnival and food street for scoffing local snacks and enjoying over 20 thrilling rides, the “Prosperity in Packets: Hongbao Giving in Chinese Culture” exhibition that schools you on red packet traditions and, for the ‘gram, a dazzling 50m-long display of 20 lanterns with the tallest at a whopping 18 metres high.
River Hongbao 2020, 2pm-11pm, The Float @ Marina Bay, 20 Raffles Avenue, Singapore 039805
Chingay Parade 2020
31 Jan-1 Feb
Everyone’s favourite CNY parade is back this year with a “Colours in Harmony” theme. Prepare yourself for an astounding showcase of our multiculturalism and diversity with extravagant floats, unique cultural performances, the world’s longest “flying dragon” and a mix of traditional art and contemporary displays. The whole thing sounds amazingly OTT to us. Get on board!
Chingay Parade 2020, 8pm – 9.45pm, F1 Pit Building, 1 Republic Boulevard, Singapore 038975
Usher in a Prosperous Chinese New Year at M Malls
3 Jan – 8 Feb
Residing around Ang Mo Kio Hub and Jurong Point? You’ll love what these heartland malls have in store. Usher in the Year of the Rat with lion dance performances, CNY fairs and festive-themed workshops. You can also get your names in calligraphy or live caricature drawings on selected weekends at AMK Hub and enjoy shopping deals on decor and CNY goodies at Jurong Point. Doraemon fans will even get a glimpse of the cartoon character and his friends, Nobita and Shizuka, at select timings.
Usher in a Prosperous Chinese New Year at M Malls, various timings, Ang Mo Kio Hub and Jurong Point.
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