SINGAPORE: As 2018 comes to a close, the Marina Bay area is set to be the centre of celebrations as Singapore welcomes in the New Year.
Here’s our round-up of events to check out:
MARINA BAY LIGHT UP
From Dec 26, the facades of Marina Bay landmarks will be lit with colourful projections adapted from artworks by students and beneficiaries of local schools and welfare organisations.
Among these landmarks is The Fullerton Hotel Singapore. From Dec 26 to Dec 31, its facade will be illuminated with artworks by the beneficiaries of the Association for Persons with Special Needs (APSN) and the Metta Welfare Association (Metta).
Artwork by the Association for Persons with Special Needs (APSN) is projected on The Fullerton Hotel Singapore. (Photo: Collaborate Creations/Urban Redevelopment Authority)
The shows run at 15-minute intervals between 8pm and 10.30pm, except on New Year’s Eve when it will run until 11.30pm.
From Dec 29 to 31, between 8.15pm and 10.30pm, there will also be light projection shows on the ArtScience Museum showcasing artworks by beneficiaries of AWWA and the Cerebral Palsy Alliance Singapore (CPAS).
Artwork by students from the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA) will be projected on the Merlion on Dec 29 and 30 between 8pm and 10.30pm. On New Year’s Eve, the show will be extended until 11.30pm.
The light projections are part the Build A Dream initiative, presented by the Marina Bay Singapore Countdown, in partnership with National Volunteer and Philanthropy Centre (NVPC) to support the less fortunate in fulfilling their dreams and personal development.
COUNTDOWN PARTIES
A seven-minute fireworks display, visible from around Marina Bay, is set to light up the sky at the stroke of midnight on New Year’s Day. Leading up to the big moment are an array of activities and programmes lined up through the evening.
Live performances will feature in Mediacorp’s Let Celebrate 2018 countdown concert at The Promontory. Look out for the augmented reality (AR) mermaid created by four students from ITE College Central.
A computer screen shows a peek of what could be part of the augmented reality segment at Mediacorp’s countdown party. (Photo: Mediacorp)
Over at The Float @ Marina Bay, a fireworks musical – part of the STAR ISLAND Singapore Countdown Edition – will aim to wow audiences with an hour of performance acts by taiko drummers, dancers and fire performers.
FESTIVAL FUN
If you’re in the market for more thrills and spills, the Prudential Marina Bay Carnival is back for a second year – and promises four new rides.
One of the new rides at this year’s Marina Bay Carnival – the Wave Swinger. (Photo: Prudential Marina Bay Carnival)
Here’s what last year’s carnival looked like:
The Civic District is also going car-free again. From 4pm on Dec 31, St Andrew’s Road, part of Fullerton Road, the stretch of Connaught Drive between Esplanade Park and The Padang will be closed to traffic.
At Esplanade Park, The Incubator will feature a pop-up lifestyle festival featuring a local craft bazaar. On the ground level, visitors will be able to relive their childhood days by taking part in capteh, congkak and five stones challenges. Kids will also be able to enjoy bouncy castles as part of the Families for Life celebrations.
At Empress Lawn, outdoor movie screenings and live band performances will keep you entertained.
KEEPING FIT
To keep things moving, hop on the Popcycle for a spin around Connaught Drive and Fullerton Road after 8.30pm. The Asian Civilisations Museum will also be turned into an open dance floor, with a free salsa dancing workshop.
Or if you’re looking for some family-friendly sports and activities – along St Andrew’s Road and in Esplanade Park, the Health Promotion Board (HPB) will have giant board games like snakes and ladders, tic tac toe and “bubble soccer”, as well as golf and archery.
There’s also the HPB Countdown Dance Workout, comprising Fight-Do, K-Kardio Dance and Zumba, in front of the National Gallery Singapore.
