SINGAPORE: As the Christmas season approaches, Orchard Road will once again light up in celebration of all things merry and bright. This year’s decorations, which come under the theme Endless Wonder, will span 2.88km – running from Tanglin Mall to Plaza Singapura.
Social media is abuzz with the Orchard Road Business Association’s (ORBA) announcement that the Christmas lights will be turned on at 3pm for the first time – instead of 6.30pm in previous years.
Here are five other things about this year’s light-up along Singapore’s famed shopping street.
1. There will be 5 set pieces in addition to the arches and lights
The Tree of Time, which will be located outside Ngee Ann City. (Image: ORBA)
The set pieces, designed to be snap-worthy, include a mini version of the main arch between Tangs and ION Orchard, which will be located right outside ION Orchard.
Others include the Walk of Wonder, a 20-metre long passage made of reflective fabric and fairy lights, which will be placed outside Forum the Shopping Mall, as well as The Tree of Time, a 4.5m-tall free-flowing “tree”, inspired by a dancer. It’s even topped with a Christmas countdown clock.
2. There will be a European-inspired Christmas village for the first time
Artist’s impression of the Christmas village, which will be open from Nov 25 to Dec 25, 2017. (Image: Orchard Road Business Association)
The village, which will be located at Ngee Ann City’s Civic Plaza from Nov 25 to Christmas Day, will feature a double-decker carousel, as well as stores by more than 25 brands – including Starbucks, Toast Box and PAUL.
If you’ve decided to spend Christmas Eve along Orchard Road, you’ll find local bands performing Christmas classics at the village from 8pm, ahead of a pyrotechnics show at midnight.
3. It took more than 76,000 man hours to produce all the Christmas decorations
According to ORBA, this year’s Christmas decorations took about 76,800 hours to make – and that’s not including the time spent to put them up.
The association expects that an additional 15,120 man hours will be spent to get Orchard Road ready for the Christmas season.
4. You can cast your votes in Orchard Road’s annual Best Dressed Building Contest
Taking place from Nov 17 to Dec 3, buildings along Orchard Road will be competing for 10 awards, including Best Dressed Building, Most Unique Theme and Most Insta-worthy Display.
Members of the public can vote for their favourite building at this website.
5. It will run from Nov 11 to Jan 1
Last but not least … the Christmas light-up kicks off on Nov 11 with a ceremony officiated by President Halimah Yacob.
Those hoping to catch the lights after dusk should note that they will remain on until 2am on Fridays and Saturdays, and until midnight on all other days except Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve, when they will stay on until 6am the following morning.
