10 Ways to Celebrate Chinese New Year in Singapore

Image Credits: New Age Parents

 

The Year Of The Pig is nearly upon us and the excitement is palpable.

CNY’s eve falls on Monday, February 4 this year, but celebrations will run for weeks before and after.

If you’re still not sure of your plans, celebrate Chinese New Year in Singapore in 2019 with these ten fantastic options…

 

Watch the Chingay Parade

One of the most iconic celebrations of the holiday, the Chingay Parade is a must for anyone wanting to celebrate Chinese New Year in Singapore in 2019. The annual event is Asia’s largest street performance show featuring incredible floats, dancing lions and national dancers. The parade, which takes place on Friday, February 15, starts at the F1 track before making its way to the NS Square.

Go For CNY Goodies Tasting

CNY Goodies is a big part of all the festivities of the Lunar New Year. Head down to your favourite Chinese New Year Goodie outlets to secure them before it is too late. Reputable bakers usually get sold out very early. Logon to CNY Goodies Singapore to check out what this season has to offer!

Visit Chinatown

Each year, Chinatown is the place to be for Chinese New Year. That’s no different in 2019 with an exciting array of events in the offering. The annual event always kicks off with the Official Light-Up plus you should certainly try to make the annual CNY countdown. Elsewhere, you’ll find lion dances, mouth-watering food stalls and many, many more attractions to keep you and the family entertained.

Make a wish at a wishing tree

Fortune, luck and the future play a significant role in CNY festivities. Celebrate Chinese New Year by heading to Chinatown’s famous (and mystical) banyan tree, which is one of the most famous wishing trees in Singapore. There you can join the crowds who hope to make their dreams come true by writing down their wishes and tying them to the tree. 

Hand out a hong bao packet

The handing out of hong bao packets forms an essential part of the Chinese New Year celebrations. Typically, this tradition sees more senior members of a social network (parents or bosses for example) give red envelopes of cash to their juniors. If you’re in Singapore in 2019, make sure to take part in the cultural festivities and hand out hong bao packets. It’s thought that doing so will pass on luck and good fortune, something we can all get behind.

Have your fortune read

Fancy knowing what the Year Of The Pig has in store for you? Head to Resorts World Sentosa for its annual Fortune Street festival. The event sees fortune tellers from across the globe gather for 10-days to predict everything from your career prospects to health. If things aren’t looking so great, there are plenty of lucky charms to available to buy. If you’ve got kids with you, strolling along Fortune Street watching the future unfurl is a fantastic way to spend an afternoon.

Enjoy a large meal with friends and family

The Reunion Dinner tradition is held every Chinese New Year’s Eve and sees all the family come together for a meal of epic proportions. Thought of as one of the most important meals in the calendar, the Reunion Dinner traditionally includes fish, chicken and dumplings. Celebrate CNY with your own magnificent Reunion Dinner at one of the many spectacular restaurants in the city. Many of the major hotels will put on luxury offerings or you could head to Chinatown for a traditional feast.          

Watch incredible lion dancing

Lion dancing, a traditional form of musical entertainment, is perhaps one of China’s most famous customs. There will be many spectacular displays during the holiday period so make sure you catch, at least, one. Perhaps the most famous, is Singapore’s International Lion Dance Competition, which sees troupes from all over Asia come to compete for the title in Chinatown. The annual event is a spectacular show of strength, color and rhythm.

Catch an art show

While many of the CNY celebrations are bright, colorful and loud, you may want break from the cacophony of noise. Each year the Huayi Chinese Arts Festival puts on a magnificent calendar of events to celebrate CNY and Chinese art in all its different forms. There will be theater and dance plus musicians and other visual entertainment in 2019 so make sure to catch a show at the event which runs from February 15 to 24.

Watch the fireworks from high up

As one of China’s most famous exports, it’s unsurprising that fireworks play a huge role in the Chinese New Year celebrations. There will be explosions of color and noise every night for days in 2019 so you just need to find a good place to watch them. The Singapore Flyer observation wheel could be a fantastic option or why not try the top of one of Singapore’s many skyscrapers?