Close to 10,000 people involved in this year’s Chingay Parade celebrating culture and creativity

DAZZLING EXTRAVAGANZA OF COLOURS

Started in 1973 as a street parade to celebrate the Chinese New Year, Chingay has since evolved into an iconic annual event showcasing Singapore’s rich multi-ethnic and cosmopolitan culture.

For the first time, the parade will feature a circular route with a tiered 360-degree stage that can rise up to 10m at its full height.

Organisers said this year’s event places a stronger emphasis on drawing spectators into the experience, with closer interactions between performers and the crowd.

Among the highlights is a “starry tree of wishes” float comprising 1,500 stars, which its creators say symbolises shared aspirations and hopes.

The float’s lead artist, Ms Cherie Ng, said the building process has taken more than three months, with around 400 to 500 participants coming together to create individual stars and write their wishes on each one.

“We thought it’d be nice for people to pan down their wishes. We have very heartfelt wishes on the float,” she added.

Ms Ng is no stranger to Chingay, having followed in the footsteps of her aunt, who was also a float artist.

“I got started in Chingay when I was still in secondary school,” she recalled.

“My aunt was an artist for one of the very, very big floats. So I came to ‘kaypoh’ (be nosy), so that’s how I got started. Then when I graduated, I thought I should join her full-time.”