EVENTS
& FESTIVALS IN SINGAPORE
Month: February
Chinese New Year
The most special festival held
around January or February, but mostly in February. It lasts for
15 days yet within the two public holidays with joyful
celebrations and feastings. Chinese people all over Singapore
would come home for a family reunion dinner one night before the
festival starts.
As this festive period covers
15 days, it brings so much money to the China Town as it is the
first place people would go for shopping. Along the footpath,
colorful decorations can be seen and full of shops selling red
papers with the writing of Chinese calligraphy (good words, good
meanings), Chinese pastries, firecracker, and other golden
myriad of things, which represent brightness and prosperity.
Red envelops are used for
sending cards whether being as an expectation of Chinese
children who so much enjoy getting red envelop called "hong
bao" with some money inside from their parents and older
relatives. Most children tend to save this money rather than to
spend it improperly.
One thing not to miss is prayer
to gods by those who give offerings at Chinese temples or little
altars set at various places, mostly in China Town. During this
festive season, tons of chicken, ducks, pork, fishes, and fruits
are sold. Some people bring fruits (mainly oranges) along with
them to visit their relatives as this is considered as the
symbol of good fortune and they would get "hong bao"
in return. Hong bao can be given to adults as well as to
children. And those meats are used as offerings to gods. They
actually make offerings at home rather than at temples because
almost every Chinese family has small altars at their places.
During this festival, the other
two events are held in accordance; these are the River Hong Bao
and the Chingay Parade.
Hari Raya Haji
Hari Raya Haji is a Muslim
celebration held annually in February but counted as the 12th
month of the Islamic calendar. The pilgrims perform the
pilgrimage to the Islamic sacred city of Mecca. Male pilgrims
are given the title of Haji, while female pilgrims Hajjah. The
highlight is that they sacrifice goat or buffalo (which later
would be given to the poor) as the gratitude to Allah (Muslim
God) at dawn first and then chant prayers at the mosque. Muslim
families also visit each others' homes during this festival.
Chingay
The grandest parade in
Singapore arranged during the Chinese New Year festival
representing the cosmopolitan society with various shows and
activities. Amazingly, there are shows from the U.S., France,
United Kingdom, Japan, and etc. Those foreigners fly from the
other parts of the world just to attend this amusing festival in
order to spread their cultural performances. There are about
2,000 performers, both local and foreigners, and 200,000
spectators march to Orchard Road to eye the parade. This parade
is televised "live" and is as well transmitted via
satellite to Asia Pacific and international broadcasting
networks.
If you are interested in
showing the performance, you may contact directly at:
The Chairman Organization
Committee Chingay Singapore
c/o People's Association
9 Stadium Link Singapore 397750
Tel: (065) 345-3973
Fax: (065) 340-5185
River Hong Bao
River Hong Bao is an
annual event held during the celebration of the Chinese New Year
period and taken place at the waterfront area close to Marina
Promenade. The event shows the Chinese tradition alongside with
the relevant Chinese zodiac symbol for that coming year. The
stalls feature the best of Chinese arts and crafts, while there
is a float depicting the animal of Chinese zodiac in that year,
including huge statues of the Gods of Fortune and Wisdom. After
the sunset, there come the cultural performances. There are also
corners of palm reading from Taiwan and China to serve those in
curiosity.
Festivals & Events in
Singapore
In January - Thaipusam
In February - Chinese
New Year (depending upon Lunar calendar and may fall in
January or March), Hari
Raya Haji, Chingay, and River
Hong Bao.
In March - Good
Friday Easter
In April - Qing
Ming Festival
In May - Vesaka
Day
In June - Dragon
Boat Races Festival.
In July - Null
In August - National
Day and Festival of the
Hungry Ghost
In September - Moon
Cake and Lantern Festival
In October - Festival
of the Nine Emperor Gods, Navarathiri
and Thimithi
In November - Deepavali
(Festival of Light)
In December - Hari
Raya Puasa, Christmas
and New Year
This article is authored and
copyrighted by
Royal Exclusive Travel
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