Lunar New Year in Singapore

Lunar New Year is the biggest and most important date of the Chinese calendar. Full of color, merriment and sumptuous feasts, this s a festival that’s full of tradition, one that’s celebrated with vigor, joy and family reunions. Chinese New Year (CNY) is a 15-days festival that’s celebrated all across the island. It’s also known as Lunar New Year because it ends on the onset of the full moon. It’s widely believed that the folklore behind it stems from a Chinese legend about a predatory beast that awoke each spring and terrorized villagers; until discovered that this frightful horned monster could be scared off which loud noise, the color red and flashes of light.

Therefore it’s no surprise that the occasion is marked with red lanterns and scrolls, street light-ups and lion dance troupes waving loud, rhythmic drumming sounds and firecrackers.  Red is also the color of good luck and prosperity and people greet one another with “Gong Xi Fa Chai” which means “wishing you prosperity this new year” Red packets containing money known as ‘hong baos’ are also given for good luck.

Lunar New Year in Singapore

Preparing for CNY

Visit Chinatown and experience the wondrous street light up, festive bazaars, where there’s lots of shopping to be done in the lead up to the big day.

China town is where Chinese New Year comes alive and this year was no different; it’s definitely the place to soak in the electric atmosphere of the festivities. The festival is celebrated in a massive way through impressive street light-ups, a bazaar comprising some few hundreds stalls and nightly stage performances at Kreta Ayer Square near the impressive Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Museum. With 2011 being the Year of Rabbit, the annual light-ups pay tribute to this furry friend, which is one of the 12 Zodiac animals. To capture the sights of the New Year, visitors have the chance by taking the photo with larger-than-life displays of rabbits at the junction of New Bridge Road and Cross Street.

Chingay Parade

Catch the dazzling Chingay Parade, an exciting street parade with lots of floats, and a kaleidoscope of multicultural performances from Singapore and regional countries such as China, Indonesia and Malaysia.

Chinese New Year takes to the street through this amazing street and floats parade. Chingay meaning “The arts of masquerade” is an extravaganza of cultures from Singapore and around the world. With over 7,500 performers and 2,000 volunteers, expect spectacular performances like dragons dancing through the sky, giant puppets and floats of every shape, size and color, with international performers coming all the way from China, Denmark, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Germany and Mexico.