Press Release

CHINATOWN CHINESE NEW YEAR CELEBRATIONS 2010 WELCOME SPRING AND SPREAD FESTIVE CHEER TO SINGAPORE

Singapore River joins Chun Jie festivities with “Celebration of Spring by the River”

22nd January 2010, Singapore - Chinese New Year, also known as Spring Festival, is the most important of the traditional Chinese festivals and a major celebratory highlight in Singapore’s cultural calendar. In the Chinese lunar calendar, each year is represented by one of the twelve animals from the Chinese zodiac. To usher in the Year of the Tiger in 2010, Kreta Ayer-Kim Seng Citizens’ Consultative Committee (KA-KS CCC) has organised an exciting, colourful and vibrant Chinese New Year Celebrations 2010 programme in Chinatown from 23 January to 7 March 2010 and at Singapore River for the first time on the weekends from 22 January to 13 February 2010. This year, Chinatown Chinese New Year Celebrations 2010 will thrive on the theme, “Celebration of Spring” (singapore, 390104). The festive celebrations aim to enliven Chinatown, engage the Chinese community, new citizens, other ethnic groups and tourists in preserving traditional Chinese customs and heritage, through its plethora of programme that enthralls both the young and old alike. The celebrations will bring out the atmosphere of Spring in its festive decorations and celebratory events, heralding a year of new beginning and spreading the festive cheer. Dr Lily Neo, Member of Parliament for Jalan Besar GRC and Adviser to the Kreta Ayer-Kim Seng Grassroots Organisations, said: “Many people enjoy Chinatown Chinese New Year celebrations, which have become a real highlight in Singapore’s calendar of events. Not only does it reach out to our Chinese community, it’s an opportunity for the other ethnic communities, new citizens and tourists to join in the celebrations and experience Chinese culture and traditions. For the first time, we are also spreading the festive cheer to the Singapore River by organizing “Celebration of Spring by the River”, a series of performances on Read Bridge, fireworks displays and festive illumination by the river.” KA-KS CCC is organizing Celebration of Spring By The River to spread the festivities of Chinese New Year to the Singapore River precinct on Fridays and Saturdays from 22 January to 16 February 2010. Highlights of activities include festive illumination and peach blossoms decorations of Read Bridge as well as weekly performances like calligraphy masters’ demonstration of `giant’ character writing to the accompaniment of live Chinese instrumental music and audience will have the opportunity to participate by trying their hands on calligraphy, traditional stilt walkers performing acrobatics and fire stunts, contemporary `velocity’ juggling acts on the bridge. Visitors on the river banks as well as river cruise passengers will also be delighted by the decorated boats operated by Singapore River Cruises and DUCKtours as they ply the waterway of the historic Singapore River. As an added highlight, there will be a lion dance performance on board selected cruises, once a week. Revellers can catch dazzling 2minute fireworks above the skies of Clarke Quay on 23 & 30 January and 6 & 13 February 2010. Other festivities at Central and Liang Court, part of the Night Out initiatives, will add buzz to the precinct. Chinatown Chinese New Year Celebrations 2010 key events include Chinatown International Lion Dance Competition on Friday, 22 January, Chinatown Chinese New Year Celebrations 2010 Official Light-Up and Opening Ceremony on Saturday, 23 January, Street Light-Up from 23 January to 7 March, Festive Street Bazaar from 23 January to 13 February, Nightly Stage Shows from 23 January to 13 February, Chinatown Chinese New Year Celebrations 2010 Countdown on 13 February and Chinatown Yuan Xiao Jie on 28 February.