ANN/THE STRAITS TIMES – A 140-metre-long dragon lantern set suspended across two Supertrees at Gardens by the Bay in Singapore will ring in the Year of the Dragon at the River Hongbao, one of Singapore’s largest and longest-running Chinese New Year (CNY) celebrations.
River Hongbao 2024, held at Gardens by the Bay for the fourth consecutive year, will run from February 8 to 17. It will start at 6.30pm for the first two days, and begin at 2.30pm for the rest of the event period. Admission is free.
For the first time in more than 10 years, the annual event, which has been held since 1987, will have a dazzling display of 30 firecrackers, totalling 18 metres (m) in length. They will be lit on the first three nights.
Barricades and other safety measures will be in place for visitors, who will be about 15m from the firecrackers.
Overseas performers will return after a three-year hiatus caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Troupes from the Guizhou Huadeng Theatre and the National Taiwan University of Physical Education and Sport’s dance department will perform dances. There will also be nightly performances by various ethnic groups and thematic shows such as Movie Night and Getai Night.
Visitors can admire massive lanterns, play carnival games, and view an exhibition capturing the charm of local CNY markets from the latter half of the 20th Century. There will be well-known local and Asian food at the Food Street.
Visitors can also toss coins to make a wish at the Wishing Heart lantern set. All proceeds will go to Lions Home for the Elders, a non-profit organisation that provides health, nursing and aged care.
Complementing River Hongbao is Dahlia Dreams, Gardens by the Bay’s signature CNY floral display at the Flower Dome.
Besides over 1,000 dahlias of more than 40 varieties, there will be different iterations of dragons, including a seven-metre-tall, 15m-long dragon centrepiece representing the upcoming Year of the Wood Dragon.
The “dragon scales” are made of fresh and preserved blooms in yellow and red, a joint effort by the Gardens’ horticulturists and beneficiaries of Dementia Singapore.
