But there’s one more event to add to the list that is sure to capture the attention and imagination of Singaporeans and foreigners alike – the annual Chingay Parade, which is also known as "the grandest street parade in Singapore." We were fortunate enough to witness this one-of-a-kind spectacle, which is held every February.
Now on its 31st year, the Chingay Parade is as bright and successful as ever, entertaining people with its colorful costumes and energetic performances. ("Chingay" is derived from Chinese and refers to "the art of costumes and masquerade.") The first parade in 1973 was originally held to celebrate the Chinese New Year, but it has since developed a life of its own: Audiences have been treated to jugglers, acrobats, dragon and lion dances, to name a few – all accompanied by floats adorned by larger-than-life decorations, props and glittering lights.
The number of participants also grew as the years passed, as various foreign groups and organizations lent their talents, giving everyone a taste of their own culture. It certainly gave the parade a different look and flavor.
And they have been doing this to this very day – to this very year at least.
What makes this year’s Chingay Parade truly special is the fact that it’s the first time organizers and participants worked with an overall theme. Dubbed "Ocean of Harmony," the 25 groups involved in the event – from elementary school kids to professional dance troupes to even the police force – wowed the audience as they went from Funan IT Mall to Maxwell Road.
After all, where in the world will you get to see kids wearing Luo Han fish headdresses speeding along in skates, or kids dressed up as seaweeds, seashells and corals swaying with the waves? Or a mermaid waving and smiling from inside a giant clam? Or marching Americans who look like Popeye, wearing lifesavers inside their sailor suits? There were even men on stilts in crab, prawn, seahorse and tortoise costumes. To think the youngest participant is three years old, and the oldest, 78. And then you also have dancers and performers coming in from Indonesia, South Korea, Japan, Malaysia, the US and Taiwan.
All these performances aren’t for mere show, as we later found out. Just as the New Year brings good tidings and cheer, so do these people, who aim to entertain and educate everyone with their positive messages.
Having an ocean theme just won’t be complete without a message that encourages everyone to fight pollution in the seas – just as King Neptune did when he roused the crabs, lobsters and fish (and quite convincingly, too) to fight the oil slick in the presentation entitled "Murmuring of the Ocean."
The well-crafted props and costumes interestingly represent some good things on their own as well.
The Luo Han fish headdresses worn by the kids, according to the Chingay Parade organizers, "signify a prosperous and auspicious start to the New Year," while their breezing through the road in skates "showcases the youthfulness and determination of our children as they dare to break the waves to reach a better future."
Add to that the fact that Singapore’s ethnic groups worked so well and supported each other to make all this possible. It shows just how people of different cultures can unite for a good cause. Now who can beat that?
For if this year’s parade is a sign or the start of a "revitalized" Chingay Parade (especially now that it has a theme), then we can’t wait for next year. And you can be sure that the participants weren’t the only ones who had fun, because we certainly did. (Even if we were mere spectators.)
In fact, before we knew it, the last float already passed us by. We didn’t even notice the time. (The parade lasted for about two hours.)
Now if only we can start doing something like this in the Philippines…